Avelox and other fluoroquinolone medications have been shown in a number of studies to cause serious Avelox side effects, including aortic aneurysm.

Abelox (moxifloxacin) is one of several fluoroquinolone antibiotics that treat bacterial infections by stopping bacterial DNA replication.

Merck & Co, the manufacturer of Avelox, brought the drug onto the market in 1999 after it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Serious Avelox Side Effects

Although Avelox has been available as an antibiotic for quite some time, recent studies have revealed a concerning link between Avelox and several serious Avelox side effects, some of which may even become life-threatening.

One of the more serious Avelox side effects is aortic aneurysm, a condition which involves the aorta (the main blood vessel in the body) becoming drastically enlarged.

Over time, as the aorta enlarges, it may become so large that it bursts. Left untreated, an aortic aneurysm can become life-threatening.

A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in November 2015 showed a link between Avelox and aortic aneurysms. According to the study, Avelox may cause the aorta to enlarge.

The study found that patients currently using Avelox increased a patient’s risk of suffering from an aortic aneurysm significantly, by as much as double the risk associated with control patients.

Even patients who had stopped their Avelox use, but had used it in the past, showed a 50 percent increased risk of aortic aneurysm.

What is an Aortic Aneurysm?

An aortic aneurysm essentially enlarges the walls of the aorta, the largest and most important blood vessel in the body. In many cases, an aortic aneurysm is a not life-threatening, and can be treated.

In other cases, however, the aorta walls can bulge to such an extreme extent that the blood vessel will burst, which will cause a patient to quickly bleed to death.

Avelox side effects include two kinds of aortic aneurysms. This is because the aorta runs through the entire body, and so aortic aneurysms that occur in different places will have different effects and symptoms.

The first of these Avelox side effects is a Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, also known as TAA. A TAA occurs in the aorta section running through a person’s chest.

TAA symptoms include pain in the jaw, neck, upper back or chest, as well as coughing, hoarseness, or difficulty breathing.

The second of these Avelox side effects is Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA), a problem that targets the abdominal section of the aorta.

AAA symptoms include pain in the back, abdomen, or groin, as well as a pulsating enlargement or mass felt by a doctor.

Avelox side effects may also include aortic dissection, which rather than enlargement of the aorta is instead a tearing in the aorta.

If you notice symptoms of Avelox side effects such as an aortic aneurysm or dissection, you should seek immediate medical attention, as these Avelox side effects may be life-threatening.

In some more serious cases, treatment may involve surgery to repair sections of a patient’s aorta.

Avelox side effects listed on the drug’s warning label do not include the risk of aortic aneurysm, or an indication of the potential severity of these problems.

These serious and even life-threatening Avelox side effects may effect a large number of patients. Millions of patients fill prescriptions for fluoroquinolone drugs like Avelox each year to treat bacterial infections.

If you or someone you love has been affected by serious Avelox side effects, you may be able to file an Avelox side effects lawsuit.