Dallas Pradaxa Attorney and Texas medical doctor, Dr Shezad Malik has launched an investigation into the catastrophic side effects of the anticoagulant Pradaxa. Pradaxa patients have a higher risk of bleeding, especially bleeding from the intestines. According to medical experts, Pradaxa users who are over 75 years old, or have kidney problems, have an even greater risk of suffering major intestinal bleeding. Gastro-intestinal bleeding can be a deadly side effect of using Pradaxa. Since Pradaxa approval for stroke-prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation, hundreds of people have died from Pradaxa bleeding side effects.
What is Pradaxa®?
Pradaxa® (dabigatran etexilate mesylate) is a direct thrombin inhibitor anticoagulant, and became FDA-approved in October, 2010. Pradaxa® reduces the risk of stroke and embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a common abnormal heart rhythm that affects millions of elderly Americans, especially those with high blood pressure and heart valve problems. Pradaxa® is being aggressively marketed, prescribed and used to replace Warfarin (Coumadin), the main oral anticoagulant agent used in the United States. Pradaxa is manufactured and distributed by Boehringer Ingelheim, a German based company.
Pradaxa® Side Effects
Pradaxa® has the side effects and risks of other blood thinners, including excessive bleeding. Compounding the side effect problems of the Pradaxa® bleeding risk is the fact that Pradaxa® has no known reversal agent or antidote, and that there is no standard method to measure the anticoagulant effects of Pradaxa®.
Pradaxa Lawsuit Trials Scheduled To Begin in August 2014
Trial dates have been scheduled in the federal Pradaxa MDL to begin in August 2014. Hundreds of product liability lawsuits have been filed against Boehringer Ingelheim in U.S. District Courts throughout the United States since the first reported Pradaxa lawsuit was brought in March 2012. Pradaxa litigation has been centralized in the Southern District of Illinois to reduce duplicative discovery, and to avoid conflicting pretrial rulings from different judges.
Allegations in Pradaxa Law Suits
If bleeding problems develop with warfarin, patients can be given vitamin K to quickly stop the bleeding, but no such antidote is available to stop Pradaxa bleeding. The complaints in the federal MDL involve allegations that Boehringer Ingelheim failed to adequately warn consumers or the medical doctors about the risk of bleeding and hemorrhage from Pradaxa side effects or provide information about the lack of an effective reversal agent to quickly stop the blood thinning effects.
Trial Dates May Lead Towards Pradaxa Settlement
The federal MDL has established a plan that will result in the preparation of a small group of cases for early trial dates, with the first trial scheduled to begin on August 11, 2014. Early trial dates, known as “bellwether” cases, are used to evaluate how juries are likely to respond to evidence and testimony. During these cases, or following the verdicts, the parties may reach a settlement Pradaxa cases in the litigation.
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Shezad Malik is an Internal Medicine and Cardiology specialist, a Texas Medical Doctor (retired) and Defective Medical Device and Dangerous Drug Attorney. Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm has offices based in Fort Worth and Dallas and represents people who have suffered catastrophic and serious personal injuries including wrongful death, caused by the negligence or recklessness of others.
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