Undisclosed Zithromax (Z-Pak) Side Effects Spark Lawsuits
By Sarah Pierce
The popular antibiotic Zithromax (or Z-Pak) has come under fire recently for a number of dangerous side effects that were not disclosed on the drug’s warning label, including heart attack, sudden death and Stevens Johnson Syndrome. Numerous Zithromax lawsuits have since been filed against drug maker Pfizer for negligently marketing the drug (generically known as azithromycin) and for failing to warn the public about its risks.
Study Links Zithromax to Sudden Cardiac Death
According to a recently published study in The New England Journal of Medicine, Z-Pak users are twice as likely to die from sudden heart-related problems compared to people not taking antibiotics or those taking other antibiotics like amoxicillin. The research was based on millions of prescriptions for several antibiotics given to more than half a million Medicaid patients from 1992 to 2006. The number of reports of death linked to Zithromax was more than double that of patients on amoxicillin or no antibiotic at all. Those with the highest risk of Z-Pak death were patients with a pre-existing heart condition.
Following the study, the FDA announced on May 18, 2012 that is reviewing the safety of Zithromax following. A number of wrongful death lawsuits have since been filed against Pfizer after people learned their loved one’s death may have been caused by the drug.
Zithromax Linked to Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS)
Another side effect of Zithromax swept under the rug is the possibility of contracting Stevens Johnson Syndrome, a life-threatening allergic reaction to medication. Until recently, Stevens Johnson Syndrome was not a known side effect of Z-Pak but this is beginning to change.
Two documented cases of Zithromax SJS have been reported in a child and senior in recent years. One report involved a 62-year-old woman who used azithromycin to treat an upper respiratory infection and developed a rash on her palms accompanied by fever, chills and a reddish discoloration around her eyes. The rash progressed to her feet and skin lesions appeared — symptoms of Stevens Johnson Syndrome. The only other documented report of Z-Pak SJS was in a child who developed Stevens Johnson Syndrome after using azithromycin.
SJS is a serious and potentially fatal condition that produces burn-like skin lesions on a patient’s skin. Numerous patients diagnosed with SJS after taking a medication have successfully sued the drug’s manufacturer for failing to adequately warn users about the risk of Stevens Johnson Syndrome or its severity. Millions of dollars in Stevens Johnson Syndrome settlements have been awarded to victims.
Filing a Zithromax/Z-Pak Lawsuit
Zithromax is one of the most popular antibiotics on the market, but it doesn’t come without risk. If you or a loved one suffered a Z-Pak side effect such as a heart attack, sudden death or Stevens Johnson Syndrome, you should speak with a Zithromax lawyer right away.
Visit the Zithromax, Z-Pak, Azithromycin Heart Attack, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome & Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Class Action Lawsuit Settlement & Investigation to submit your story for a free legal review. Z-Pak attorneys are standing by to offer a free lawsuit evaluation to anyone who lost a loved one or was affected by a Zithromax side effect.
Updated August 29th, 2012
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