GranuFlo Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Over Dialysis Heart Attack

Sadly, this is not the only GranuFlo lawsuit regarding a sudden cardiac death. Fresenius Medical Care, the manufacturers of NaturaLyte and GranuFlo, is currently under investigation from the FDA. The FDA’s investigation began after certain dangers came to light — and after the New York Times ran a story earlier in 2012 about NaturaLyte and GranuFlo.

The New York Times reported that GranuFlo and NaturaLyte patients experienced cardiac arrest at a rate six times higher than other kidney dialysis patients. Moreover, the New York Times alleged Fresenius Medical Centers knew of the elevated cardiac arrest rates. Even after Fresenius Medical Center learned of the higher rate of cardiac arrests, they still waited an additional four months to disseminate the warnings, and did so only due to pressure from the FDA. After the New York Times published their article and knowledge of the higher cardiac arrest rates were published and widely known, the FDA issued a recall for GranuFlo and NaturaLyte. The FDA’s recall was a “Class I” recall — highest recall level available to the FDA.

Fresenius Medical Care provides treatment to about one-third of the hemodialysis patients nationwide. At least 941 people suffered cardiac arrest during this medical procedure to treat kidney failure. GranuFlo and NaturaLyte heart attacks occurred for several reasons. First, doctors administered the medicines in too great a dose for human consumption. Second, the overdoses occurred because there were lethal levels of bicarbonate released into the human system. Bicarbonate is a by-product of GranuFlo and NaturaLyte.

Many GranuFlo/NaturaLyte Lawsuits Are Filed by Victim’s and Their Families