Eliquis has become one of the most widely used blood thinners in a relatively short period of time since its release onto the market. Despite the blood thinner’s popularity, a growing number of Eliquis users are filing lawsuits over Eliquis internal bleeding complications.

Background of Eliquis

Eliquis was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a blood thinning medication back in 2012. Eliquis is one of a new group of anticoagulants that have surfaced in recent years known as Factor Xa Inhibitors. Factor Xa Inhibitors were brought into the market as an alternative to the decades-old staple drug, warfarin. Other Factor Xa Inhibitors are Pradaxa and Xarelto.

Eliquis is an oral anticoagulant that, like other blood thinners, is mainly used to prevent strokes and blood clots. Many patients have embraced Eliquis and similar new medications instead of the more traditional warfarin—millions have made the switch in just a few years. This may in large part be due to the fact that, unlike warfarin, Eliquis does not require frequent blood testing checkups. To patients who deem such blood testing to be too much of a hassle, Eliquis can be a convenient alternative.

However, Eliquis lacks one distinct advantage of warfarin: warfarin has an antidote to counteract its effects, while Eliquis does not. Why would you need an antidote for a medication you’re prescribed? It seems surprising, but in some cases, it can actually make the difference between life and death.

Indeed, even though the drug’s makers market Eliquis as safe to use, many patients have reported severe side effects after using Eliquis, including serious Eliquis internal bleeding problems.

Blood thinning medications like Eliquis are used to prevent clotting, which can cause strokes and other serious problems. However, in some cases, clotting can actually be a last-ditch life-saving effort from your body, and patients taking blood thinners are unable to effectively form these clots. Eliquis internal bleeding can therefore be fatal.

While warfarin has an antidote available to counteract these effects in the case of a bleeding emergency such as surgery or an accident, Eliquis has no such antidote, making Eliquis internal bleeding much more dangerous for patients.

Eliquis Internal Bleeding Lawsuits

Because of the risk of Eliquis internal bleeding complications, many patients have chosen to file Eliquis lawsuits against the drug’s manufacturers for negligence and failure to adequately warn the public and the medical community of these dangers.

Eliquis lawsuits allege that its manufacturers, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer, Inc., misled the public and the medical community about the safety and efficacy of Eliquis. Had these patients been fully aware of the risks they were taking when antidotes for alternative drugs were available, these patients may have chosen differently.

Unfortunately, some families have even had to file wrongful death lawsuits on behalf of a patient who died from Eliquis internal bleeding.

Eliquis internal bleeding lawsuits cannot reverse damage or bring a loved one back, but they may help with financial needs plaintiffs may suffer through medical expenses and lost wages.

If you or someone you know has taken the blood thinner Eliquis and has subsequently experienced Eliquis internal bleeding or any of these other symptoms due to Eliquis, you may have cause for filing an Eliquis internal bleeding lawsuit.