Martin & Jones Attorneys Investigate Injury and Death Claims Involving Blood Thinner Xarelto Which Can Cause Potentially Fatal Uncontrollable Bleeding
Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) November 26, 2014 -- Martin & Jones, PLLC announces that its attorneys are investigating potential lawsuits on behalf of patients who suffered uncontrollable bleeding and even death after taking the prescription blood thinner Xarelto (rivaroxaban).
Xarelto was approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2011 for use in preventing blood clots after knee and hip surgery and approved in November 2011 for use in reducing risk of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. In November 2012, the FDA expanded the approval of Xarelto to include treating and reducing the risk of recurrent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot that forms in a vein deep in the body, most often occurring in the thigh or lower leg. Pulmonary embolism is a deep vein blood clot that breaks off and travels to an artery in the lungs.
Clinical trials of Xarelto demonstrated a greater incidence of bleeding compared to Warfarin. More than 1,000 injuries and 65 deaths have been reported to the FDA.
Serious and sometimes fatal health problems such as uncontrolled, internal bleeding, blood clots, strokes, and kidney and liver damage have been reported by patients taking Xarelto. Uncontrolled gastrointestinal and epidural bleeding as well as brain hemorrhages have been reported. While uncontrolled bleeding is associated with many types of blood thinners like warfarin (Coumadin), most can be reversed immediately with treatment of high doses of vitamin K or frozen plasma. There is no such reversal treatment for Xarelto.
According to the FDA, Xarelto was “the first oral anti-clotting medication drug approved to treat and reduce the recurrence of blood clots since the approval of warfarin.” Xarelto is distributed in the United States by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. While warfarin users must have blood levels checked regularly by their doctors, the makers of Xarelto claim no such monitoring is required with Xarelto.
In January 2014, the FDA issued a warning on the risk of bleeding with Xarelto, advising physicians to “promptly evaluate any signs or symptoms of blood loss and consider the need for blood replacement.” This same warning included a statement about the inability to reduce the anticoagulant effect of Xarelto. The FDA issued a “boxed warning” in August 2013 that premature discontinuation of Xarelto could increase risk of thrombotic events.
Founded in 1982, Martin & Jones is a North Carolina-based personal injury law firm with offices in Raleigh, Durham and Wilmington. Our attorneys have successfully represented people with claims involving the prescription drugs Vioxx, Rezulin, Reglan, and the blood thinner Pradaxa. Contact attorney Forest Horne at the Raleigh office of Martin & Jones at 800.662.1234 or visit http://www.MartinandJones.com for more information.
Forest Horne, Martin & Jones, PLLC, http://www.MartinandJones.com, +1 (919) 821-0005, [email protected]
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