While reports have been surfacing for some time that the popular anticoagulant Xarelto induces major internal bleeding injuries, a recent study suggests that Xarelto may double the risk for gastrointestinal bleeding when compared to an older anticoagulant, Warfain.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, compared the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding by reviewing data from 45,000 patients who took either Xarelto or Warfarin. The study results indicated that patients taking Xarelto were at twice the risk of suffering a gastrointestinal bleeding event, compared to patients on Warfain.

Based on the large number of Xarelto injury reports submitted to the FDA, many experts were not surprised by the study’s findings. In addition to injury reports, injured consumers have been filing lawsuits against Xarelto’s manufacturers, Bayer Pharmaceuticals and Janssen Pharmaceuticals. The Xarelto lawsuits allege that the manufacturers failed to warn consumers about possible Xarelto complications.

Plaintiffs in these Xarelto suits were prescribed Xarelto to treat atrial fibrillation and to protect against stroke, but ended up suffering from severe, uncontrollable bleeding instead.

Overview of Xarelto Bleeding Complications

The FDA approved Xarelto in 2011 to prevent stroke in atrial fibrillation patients or patients who had knee surgery. The drug is one of several new-generation anticoagulants that were released to compete with the traditional blood thinner Warfarin. The new-generation anticoagulants were marketed as being more convenient and faster acting than Warfarin, but did not come with an antidote in the case of internal bleeding.

In addition to lacking an approved stopping agent in the case of internal bleeding, the new generation anticoagulants do not require patients to regularly see their doctors. While patients enjoy the convenience of the newer drugs like Xarelto, experts believe that many bleeding incidents would have been prevented if Xarelto patients were required to receive follow-up testing.