Dallas, TX (PRWEB) February 20, 2014
The national law firm of Baron and Budd is now representing clients filing lawsuits against the maker of Cipro, an antibiotic that has been allegedly linked to nerve damage and peripheral neuropathy. This is a muscle condition that can lead to several problems, including difficulty walking, significant pain and arm and leg numbness.
Cipro, the brand name for the drug ciprofloxacin, is part of a class of antibiotic drugs known as fluoroquinolones. Developed by German pharmaceutical company Bayer AG, Cipro was prescribed to more than 16 million Americans in 2011, with millions more receiving the medication intravenously. It is used to treat several types of bacterial infections, such as bacterial bronchitis and bacterial urinary tract infections.
However, the medication was designed to treat meningitis and other dangerous infections, as well as infections that have proven resistant to other types of antibiotics. Medical experts recommend that it only be prescribed to treat infections that pose a threat to a patient’s life.
On August 27, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that fluoroquinolone antibiotics could increase the risk for permanent peripheral neuropathy, whether they were taken orally or intravenously (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm365050.htm). The FDA announced that it was requiring all fluoroquinolone drug labels to provide a better explanation of the heightened risk of peripheral neuropathy, as well as an explanation of how quickly the condition can develop once a patient starts using the drug.
The following are some of the symptoms associated with peripheral neuropathy:
- Difficulty walking and loss of motor skills
- Severe, shooting pains
- A tingling sensation that spreads upward from the toes
- Loss of muscle coordination and muscle weakness
- Increased sensitivity to touch and a sudden change in sense of temperature and textures
While there is no cure for peripheral neuropathy, there is a possibility the symptoms can lessen with treatment. Some patients may need a wheelchair, brace or cane while others may be able to treat the problem with pain medication. In some instances, symptoms subside once the patient stops taking the fluoroquinolone antibiotic, while in others the damage lasts for months or years. In some cases, the damage is permanent.
“This drug was heavily used for routine, uncomplicated infections such as earaches and sinus problems when it should only be taken for much more serious – or life-threatening – issues,” said Russell Budd, president of national law firm Baron and Budd.
The national law firm of Baron and Budd may be able to help if you or a loved one has allegedly suffered due to the use of Cipro. Give us a call at 866-844-4556 or contact us here if you would like to get in contact with one of our Cipro lawyers. For more information on the work we are doing in this area, go to http://baronandbudd.com/areas-of-practice/pharmaceuticals/cipro-lawsuit/.
About Baron & Budd, P.C.
With a history of over 35 years “Protecting What’s Right” for individuals, communities, and governmental entities, Baron and Budd is a well-established law firm devoted to making a positive difference. With offices in Dallas, Austin, Los Angeles and Baton Rouge, Baron and Budd is able to take on complicated and expensive cases within the realms of dangerous drugs and medical devices, asbestos-related illnesses, consumer fraud, water contamination, the Gulf oil spill and fraudulent financial practices.