A growing number of Pradaxa patients are filing lawsuits against the drug’s manufacturer, alleging a number of severe complications from the medication, including excessive bleeding, hemorrhage and even death. These patients allege Pradaxa warnings did not adequately alert them to the risk of excessive bleeding.

Background of Pradaxa

Pradaxa (also known as dabigatran) is a relatively recent addition to the anticoagulant market. Anticoagulants like Pradaxa are commonly used to treat blood clotting. Blood clots can cause serious injuries or fatal complications, and the use of an anticoagulant is a popular method of preventing these problems.

Pradaxa is manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, and has quickly become one of the most popular blood thinning medications available. Its approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) came in October 2010, and was intended as a replacement for the longtime favorite anticoagulant Coumadin (warfarin).

Pradaxa was advertised as being a better choice than Coumadin because it did not require the frequent blood monitoring that was required of Coumadin patients.

Even though it’s only been on the market for a few years, millions of patients have already made the switch to Pradaxa. It is important for patients to be aware of the complications that have been linked with Pradaxa prior to making the decision to switch to this blood thinner option.

However, Pradaxa warnings have since been issued over major complications of the medication. Indeed, around one year after Pradaxa was initially approved, the FDA issued Pradaxa warnings in 2011 to notify patients that the drug may place them at a serious risk of excessive bleeding complications.

The Pradaxa warnings came after the FDA has received considerable reports of major health complications. In fact, within the first three months of Pradaxa’s availability, the FDA had already received 307 reports of Pradaxa bleeding complications, and within the first year, received more than 260 reports of Pradaxa-related deaths.

Pradaxa Excessive Bleeding Risk

By their very nature, blood thinners carry with them certain bleeding risks. However, Pradaxa allegedly has an increased risk of excessive bleeding, placing patients in bleeding emergencies at serious risk.

Pradaxa side effects include heart attacks, liver failure, uncontrollable bleeding and even death. The most common of these complications is excessive bleeding, which in turn can lead to brain hemorrhaging or become fatal. Hundreds of Pradaxa bleeding problems have reportedly resulted in fatalities so far.

Filing a Pradaxa Warnings Lawsuit

A growing number of patients are filing lawsuits against Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals over these bleeding risks. Lawsuits allege that the Pradaxa warnings from the drug’s manufacturer about the risk of excessive bleeding and related complications were inadequate.

If you or someone you love has taken Pradaxa and has subsequently experienced serious complications, such as excessive bleeding or brain hemorrhaging, you may have cause for filing a Pradaxa lawsuit.

Filing a Pradaxa lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by Pradaxa bleeding problems, but it can help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses and lost wages.