A California man claims adverse side effects of Eliquis can cause patients to experience life-threatening internal bleeding events, cerebral hemorrhage, stroke, blood clots and other serious complications.

Plaintiff Gabriel D. was prescribed Eliquis to reduce the risk of stroke and embolism due to atrial fibrillation.

Shortly after taking the drug under the direction of his physician, Gabriel suffered from adverse side effects of Eliquis that included an intracerebral hemorrhage, and severe pain and suffering.

In the October 12 complaint filed in a California Superior Court, Gabriel accuses Bristol-Meyers Squibb and Pfizer Inc. of touting the drug as safe and effective, while concealing data about alleged adverse side effects of Eliquis and failing to warn doctors that there is no antidote to the drug.

Gabriel also alleges that the drug makers failed to disclose information they possessed to the medical community and the FDA information regarding the failure to adequately test and study for life-threatening adverse side effects of Eliquis, making the warnings for the blood thinner even more inadequate.

What is Eliquis?

Eliquis is a blood thinning medication that helps prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, and to prevent blood clots in patients undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery.

The drug has been on the market since 2012, and is manufactured by Pfizer and Bristol-Meyers Squibb. The benefit of taking Eliquis and other apixaban-based drugs is that unlike other blood thinning medications like warfarin (Coumadin), these drugs do not require drastic dietary changes or regular blood monitoring.

However, similar to the other newer generation blood thinner drugs, there is no antidote to stop the blood-thinning effects of Eliquis. Therefore, it is believed that users of the drug may be at risk of developing life-threatening adverse side effect of Eliquis because doctors may be unable to stop internal bleeding should it occur.

Adverse Side Effects of Eliquis

Eliquis lawsuits, such as Gabriel’s, claim the blood thinner causes side effects such as a brain hemorrhage and other serious internal bleeding side effects.  These serious adverse side effects of Eliquis can be extremely difficult to treat. Warning signs and symptoms of internal bleeding may include:

• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Hemorrhagic stroke (brain bleed)
• Intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding in the skull)
• Kidney bleeding
• Rectal bleeding
• Stroke
• Blood clot
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Death

Filing an Eliquis Lawsuit

When a patient takes a prescribed medication, he or she does so with the trust that the drug will help their condition and protect their health, and also with the trust that the drug will not cause additional harm.

Unfortunately, many Eliquis patients who suffered adverse side effects of Eliquis such as internal bleeding as well as those who lost a loved one to Eliquis internal bleeding claim that this trust was violated when they were not properly warned about the adverse side effects of Eliquis.

In an Eliquis internal bleeding lawsuit, plaintiffs may pursue compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages.

The Eliquis Lawsuit is Case No. BC636969 in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles, Central District.