The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a new warning about major fluoroquinolone complications that can cause serious damage to your aorta.

If you or a loved one has suffered from Floxin side effects or problems with another fluoroquinolone medication, you may be able to file a lawsuit.

Fluoroquinolone Basics

Fluoroquinolones are a group of antibiotic drugs
used to treat a variety of bacterial infections, including respiratory and urinary tract infections, as well as pneumonia, bacterial bronchitis, joint and bone infections, and a slew of others.

Yes, the term “fluoroquinolone” is a mouthful, and because the name may not sound familiar to you, you may think you have no exposure to them. But these drugs are actually far more common that you might expect. This class of medications include all the antibiotics that end with the suffix “-floxacin,” which include the following:

• Moxifloxacin (Avelox)
• Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
• Levofloxacin (Levaquin)
• Gemifloxacin (Factive)
• Norfloxacin (Noroxin)
• Ofloxacin (Floxin)

Fluoroquinolones can be administered either by mouth or by injection. Unfortunately, fluoroquinolone drugs in both forms have been linked with some serious complications.

Fluoroquinolone Side Effects

While any medication comes with a certain amount of risk, some claim that fluoroquinolone side effects are severe enough that they outweigh the benefits. The most severe of these risks are aortic dissection and aortic rupture.

An aortic dissection occurs when the inner layer of the aorta tears, allowing the blood to move between the inner and middle layers of the aorta, dissecting the layers from each other, which can compress the aorta and obstruct blood passage, which can in turn lead to an aortic rupture. Factors like high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, age, and other issues that can lead to weakened aortic walls can increase this risk.

An aortic rupture involves the aorta bursting, leaking blood, which means that not enough blood can be conveyed throughout the body. Most instances of aortic rupture prove fatal. Smoking, atherosclerosis, and high blood pressure can increase this risk.

According to Forbes, after reviewing multiple case reports and observational studies, the FDA found that those who take fluoroquinolone medications like Floxin or Levaquin experienced aortic dissection and aortic ruptures twice as often as those who did not take these medications.

These are not the first serious side effects to be associated with fluoroquinolones. In July 2018, the FDA updated the warning labels of these drugs to include both mental health risks and low blood sugar adverse reactions.

Filing a Fluoroquinolone Lawsuit

Dozens of lawsuits have so far been filed over serious fluoroquinolone medication side effects, alleging that manufacturers failed to adequately warn about their risks.

If you or someone you love has suffered from Floxin side effects, or complications from another fluoroquinolone medication, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. While filing a lawsuit cannot undo the pain and suffering caused by Floxin side effects, it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.