Pradaxa Class Action Lawsuit May Eventually Include Total Knee and Hip Arthroplasty Patients after Successful Clinical Trial
By Scott Hardy
A European clinical study of Pradaxa may result in more internal bleeding patients being added to any open Pradaxa class action lawsuit in the future. Boehringer Ingelheim recently concluded a clinical trial testing the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing total knee or hip arthroplasty. VTE is a disease which includes both deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE.) The clinical trial showed that patients who were on Pradaxa had no increased risk of heart attack or other cardiac events when going through the treatment. The clinical study was funded by Boehringer Ingelheim and makes no mention of uncontrollable internal bleeding events occurring before, during or after surgery. Boehringer Ingelheim’s desire to enter this market is concerning for many as Pradaxa was connected to more deaths in 2011 than any other legal drug. Pradaxa’s alleged flaw is that it may be too good at its job. Pradaxa is in the anticoagulant family of drugs which stops blood from clotting. Pradaxa is a common treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF) and treatment of AF is approved by the FDA. The issue is that once you have Pradaxa in your system you are at a much greater risk of experiencing uncontrollable internal bleeding or hemorrhage. If you were diagnosed with internal bleeding or hemorrhage after taking or while on Pradaxa, you or a family member should contact a Pradaxa Internal Bleeding law firm immediately.
Currently Coumadin (warfarin) is the most popularly prescribed blood thinner in the world and is the most popular drug prescribed to patients who undergo arthroscopic knee or hip surgery. Coumadin (warfarin) can also have major side effects as it’s been shown to lead to brain hemorrhage or severe internal bleeding just like Pradaxa. The main difference in treating internal bleeding for Pradaxa patients compared to Coumadin patients is that doctors can stop the effects of warfarin relatively easily by flushing the patient’s system with Vitamin K. Vitamin K counteracts the effect of Coumadin (warfarin) and allows the blood to clot regularly which helps stem internal bleeding or hemorrhage. Pradaxa cannot be counteracted as easily as Coumadin (warfarin.) Pradaxa patients must be placed on dialysis so the drug is flushed from at least 60% of their system. This can take 2 – 3 hours and during that time the patient could experiencing massive blood loss which may result in multiple blood transfusions and even death.
Bengt Eriksson, a Professor and Senior Consultant at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden stated “The evaluation provides reassurance for patients undergoing orthopedic procedures with… dabigatran etexilate [Pradaxa] for the prevention of VTE that the risk of ACS events [heart attack or stroke] is low…”
So far Pradaxa has only had a limited trial on patients who underwent orthopedic surgery and is not approved for this use yet. As stated by Dr. Richard Besdine, the director of the Center for Gerontology at Brown University, regarding Pradaxa’s use for AF “If there’s an adverse event lurking in the closet for a new drug, it’s most likely to come out in patients that are old and frail and taking multiple medications. They’re the canary in the coal mine.”
Pradaxa users have filed lawsuits alleging that the anticoagulant drug has severe undisclosed side effects which have killed patients. Recent Pradaxa class action lawsuits have included risk of internal bleeding and hemorrhage as well as reasons for filing a Pradaxa class action lawsuit. Pradaxa internal bleeding, wrongful death, or hemorrhage lawsuits typically allege that Boehringer Ingelheim did not adequately inform patients and their prescribing doctors of the risks of uncontrollable internal bleeding and hemorrhage associated with Pradaxa usage, nor did Boehringer Ingelheim warn or otherwise advise on how to intervene and stabilize a Pradaxa patient should a bleed occur after an accident or during surgery. Boehringer Ingelheim has stated that they are working on an antidote or treatment to help doctors when a Pradaxa patient is admitted with hemorrhage or severe internal bleeding.
It’s important that Pradaxa patients know the preliminary signs of internal bleeding. Common internal bleeding symptoms include pink or brown urine, red or black stools, bruises that happen without a known cause and may get larger, coughing up blood or blood clots and/or vomiting blood or vomit which includes particles that look like coffee grounds. If you or a family member are taking, or were taking Pradaxa or Coumadin (warfarin,) and experienced internal bleeding or hemorrhage you may be able to file a lawsuit to help you pay for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, and recovery. Only a qualified Pradaxa hemorrhage or internal bleeding lawsuit lawyer can determine if you have a case. In addition, the spouse of a Pradaxa victim of internal bleeding or hemorrhage may be able to join the lawsuit as a co-plaintiff and sue for “loss of consortium.” Boehringer Ingelheim’s Pradaxa press release regarding the orthopedic surgery study is available here.
If you would like more information about filing a Pradaxa internal bleeding class action lawsuit, would like to speak with experienced Pradaxa lawyers who are actively filing internal bleeding cases, or would like to file a Pradaxa hemorrhage personal injury lawsuit just go to the Pradaxa Internal Bleeding Class Action Lawsuit Investigation page. Pradaxa attorneys are actively investigating all claims regarding internal bleeding, wrongful death, hemorrhage and other problems which may have been caused by Pradaxa (dabigatran), warfarin (coumadin), blood thinner or other anti-coagulant medications. Remember, the Pradaxa lawyers who work with Top Class Actions will tell you if you have a case for free. There’s never any charge for an initial consultation with an attorney filing Pradaxa lawsuit you find through Top Class Actions. They don’t get paid unless you do.
Updated June 28th, 2012
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