Tasgina medication, a leukemia treatment, has unfortunately been connected with serious complications, including the cardiovascular condition known as atherosclerosis.

Tasigna (also sold under the generic name nilotinib) is a leukemia treatment manufactured by Novartis and first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2007. Tasigna medication is approved to treat chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia cancer.

Since its introduction to the market, more and more people are being treated with Tasigna medication. It is now one of the most widely used cancer drugs available, bringing in $1.7 billion in sales in 2016 alone.

Tasigna Medication Side Effects

Of course, any medication will come with certain mild or rare side effects. The most severe complications should be included in a Black Box warning, which Tasigna includes for a few serious complications. However, patients claim that they were not warned about one of the drug’s most serious side effects: atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a cardiovascular condition involving a patient’s arteries, causing them to thicken as white cells and plaque build up on the walls. Thickening arterial walls narrow the channel and limit the blood flow, a condition known as peripheral arterial disease (PAD). This condition most often affects the legs’ arteries, but can also occur in other parts of the body, like the arms, stomach, and head.

Symptoms of loss of blood circulation from PAD can include cramping, pain, or tiredness. Patients suffering from PAD can find it difficult to walk or climb stairs. Although the symptoms usually lessen with rest, further activity will bring symptoms back once again.

Blood circulation loss from atherosclerosis is irreversible, and can lead to serious or even life-threatening complications. These risks include blood clots, which cause pain, sores or ulcers, and problems walking. If an artery becomes totally blocked because of PAD, patients may suffer from gangrene or require limb amputation. If the artery that has been affected is a carotid artery, blockage like this can actually lead to a stroke.

Studies have found a significant risk of atherosclerosis linked with Tasigna medication over the last few years. A post market review from the FDA noted that its findings “strongly suggest an association between nilotinib (Tasigna) and PAOD (peripheral arterial occlusive disease).”

The FDA’s findings were released in 2013, prompting Novartis to update Tasigna’s Black Box label to include the risk of Tasigna atherosclerosis. However, many patients were treated with Tasigna medication for years before this Black Box warning was updated.

Filing a Tasigna Medication Lawsuit

According to lawsuits, Novartis was aware of the risk of Tasigna atherosclerosis far before they updated the medication’s Black Box warning, yet failed to warn the public and the medical community about this danger for a substantial period of time.

If you or someone you love has suffered from Tasigna medication side effects including atherosclerosis or related conditions, you may be able to file a Tasigna medication lawsuit against Novartis. Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by these side effects, but it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.