Two New Studies Show Pradaxa Side Effects Can Be Dangerous Compared to Other Blood Thinners
As more patients file lawsuits against Pradaxa due to Pradaxa side effects lead to serious injuries or death from strokes and blood clots, two new studies published at the end of October show that Pradaxa has many more dangers compared to older generation blood thinners like warfarin.
On October 30th, a study published in the journal Circulation involved 134,000 patients, who were all on Medicare and who were prescribed either Pradaxa or warfarin to help with their atrial fibrillation – a heart rhythm problem which increases the risk of stroke.
Although Pradaxa was linked to a lower risk of certain dangerous side effects such as ischemic stroke, hemorrhage in the brain, and death, compared to warfarin, there was a much greater increase in the potential for a gastrointestinal bleed, especially in the stomach, or a brain hemorrhage. Patients who took 150 mg of Pradaxa twice daily were at a much greater risk of these side effects. The study found that a dose of Pradaxa at 75 mg twice daily was comparable to warfarin’s side effects.
The second study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on November 3rd, compared Medicare patients – 1,300 who took Pradaxa, and 8,000 who took warfarin. That study found that 9% of Pradaxa patients had major bleeding episodes, while 5.9% of the warfarin group had the same side effect. The risk of bleeding in the brain was higher among warfarin users, but bleeding in the stomach and gastrointestinal tract was much greater in those taking Pradaxa. The risk increased again in patients with kidney disease.
Rita Redberg, MD, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and editor of JAMA Internal Medicine, said that she believes the ”overall risk-benefit ratio is more favorable on warfarin.”
“I am very concerned about the bleeding risk with the newer oral anticoagulants, and the fact that there is no reversal agent [to undo excess bleeding],” she added. Unlike warfarin – the generic brand of a blood thinner called Coumadin – Pradaxa and another anti-coagulant Xarelto have no antidotes, to help patients stop major bleeding events.
Pradaxa was developed to replace decades-old blood thinner warfarin, specifically to prevent strokes in patients suffering atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat that is common in the elderly. Like other blood thinners, according to Boehringer, Pradaxa comes with a risk of potential internal bleeding. The company cited a recent study done by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that Pradaxa had a lower risk of severe bleeding than other blood thinners, warfarin in particular.
However, about two years ago, doctors began reporting a larger number of serious, and sometimes fatal, bleeding episodes involving Pradaxa patients. Patients and their families began filing personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against the company, which number over 2,000 in the United States alone, with a major class action recently filed in Canada.
The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Injury Cases Involving Pradaxa
If you or a loved one have been prescribed Pradaxa and suffered any of the following Pradaxa side effects:
- Fatigue,
- Unusual bleeding & hemorrhaging,
- Pink or brown urine,
- Red or black stools,
- Coughing blood,
- Vomiting that resembles blood or looks like coffee grounds,
- Bleeding from the gums,
- Regular nosebleeds,
- Joint pain & swelling,
- Headaches,
- Dizziness,
- Weakness and swelling of the joints,
- Intestinal bleeding, and even
- Death
You may have a personal injury or wrongful death case against Pradaxa’s manufacturers if you had serious outcome from Pradaxa side effects. The South Carolina pharmaceutical liability lawyers at The Strom Law Firm, LLC are at the forefront of the fight to protect the public and will stand up for your rights against the big drug and insurance companies. Contact our defective drug and wrongful death attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, LLC today for a free consultation to discuss the facts of your case as well as your legal rights. 803.252.4800
