Pradaxa (generic name dabigatran) is a popular blood thinner across the country, but has been linked to serious and even life-threatening internal bleeding side effects.

A growing number of Pradaxa users are filing complaints and lawsuits over internal bleeding complications. In the last year alone, thousands of individual plaintiffs have filed such lawsuits.

Pradaxa lawsuits claim that the blood thinner’s manufacturer, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, failed to adequately warn both the public and the medical community about Pradaxa’s side effects, including internal bleeding in the head.

Pradaxa was introduced to the market in 2010 as a replacement for the traditional blood thinner, warfarin. Millions have switched to Pradaxa in just a few years.

Internal bleeding side effects are common among blood thinning medications. However, the risk of severe internal bleeding with Pradaxa may be more dangerous than it is with other blood thinners.

Symptoms of Internal Bleeding in the Head

Internal bleeding in the head is an extremely dangerous side effect of Pradaxa, so Pradaxa users should be especially wary of these symptoms. Recognizing the symptoms of a brain bleed can mitigate its effects and even save your life.

Symptoms of internal bleeding in the head include:

• A sudden severe headache
• Seizures with no previous history of seizures
• Weakness in an arm or leg
• Nausea or vomiting
• Decreased alertness; lethargy
• Changes in vision
• Tingling or numbness
• Difficulty speaking or understanding speech
• Difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty reading or writing
• Loss of fine motor skills (including hand tremors)
• Loss of coordination
• Loss of balance
• An abnormal sense of taste
• Loss of consciousness

Internal Bleeding Causes

It is common for blood thinners like Pradaxa to be associated with excessive or unusual bruising or bleeding. This is because blood thinner medications are used to prevent blood clots.

In general, blood clots are bad for the body and can cause serious complications, which is why blood thinner medication exists in the first place. However, in some extreme circumstances, blood clotting can be a life-saving function.

Usually when a person is suffering from internal bleeding, their body combats the effects by forming blood clots, slowing the bleeding and allowing time for medical treatment.

However, if the body is unable to form blood clots because a patient is on a blood thinner like Pradaxa, then the body has no way to combat this bleeding. This can lead to fatalities that could have been avoided otherwise.

Pradaxa Internal Bleeding Lawsuits

Pradaxa lawsuits allege that the drug’s manufacturer, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, failed to adequately warn the public and the medical community about Pradaxa’s dangerous internal bleeding side effects.

If you or someone you know has taken Pradaxa and has since experienced internal bleeding in the head, you may be able to file a Pradaxa internal bleeding lawsuit.

Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering of internal bleeding or bring a loved one back to life, but it can help to compensate for the financial expenses incurred from medical bills and lost wages.