The widely-used blood thinner Xarelto has been linked to an increased risk of serious and potentially life-threatening side effects like uncontrollable internal bleeding, hemorrhagic stroke and brain hemorrhage. As a result of these alleged Xarelto complications, which may lead to death in some cases, attorneys throughout the country are investigating claims filed on behalf of Xarelto users who believe they may be entitled to financial compensation for their injuries and medical expenses. If you took the anticoagulant Xarelto, and you have since suffered from gastrointestinal bleeding, stroke or another serious side effect, contact a reputable Xarelto attorney to discuss your legal options. With a qualified product liability lawyer on your side, you can protect your legal rights and seek fair and timely reimbursement for your losses.
A growing body of research has indicated that Xarelto treatment may be extremely risky for some people, with hundreds of adverse event reports linking Xarelto to severe and potentially life-threatening bleeding injuries. Fortunately, there are a number of possible alternatives to Xarelto for reducing the risk of stroke in certain patients, including the following:
In 2012, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) found that there were 365 instances of serious and fatal injuries associated with the generic version of Xarelto, rivaroxaban.
That same year, the FDA reported that three times more people died from adverse events associated with Xarelto, compared to warfarin.
In the first few months of 2013, there were 968 injuries linked to Xarelto treatment, and drug regulators in Germany reported 72 alleged Xarelto-related deaths during the same period of time.
According to the ISMP, patients undergoing knee or hip replacement surgery have the highest risk of experiencing serious clots while taking Xarelto, which may result in potentially life-threatening side effects like stroke or heart attack.
The FDA has warned that premature discontinuation of Xarelto may increase the risk of serious bleeding events. The agency has also advised against the use of Xarelto in patients with prosthetic heart valves, due to a lack of safety and efficacy information regarding this particular use of the drug.
As concerns continue to mount regarding the alleged risk of bleeding complications among Xarelto patients, a growing number of studies have examined the potential health risks associated with Xarelto treatment. The following are Xarelto side effect studies published over the past several years:
September 8, 2011 – The New England Journal of Medicine published the results of the ROCKET AF study, which compared Xarelto treatment to warfarin, which has been the go-to blood thinner for decades. After reviewing the results of the research, the FDA reported that the study failed to provide evidence that Xarelto treatment was more effective than warfarin.
February 2012 – A British study presented at the 2012 meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons indicated that patients who took Xarelto had a significant return-to-surgery rate within 30 days. According to the research, the rate of wound complications in patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement rose considerably when Xarelto was used in place of older anticoagulants.
September 5, 2012 – Research published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery followed more than 13,000 people after hip or knee replacement surgery, and found that the patients who took Xarelto had a nearly four-times increased risk of experiencing wound complications.
April 24, 2015 – A study published in the British Medical Journal involving nearly 50,000 individuals in the United States taking blood thinners like Xarelto and Pradaxa, found that Xarelto users may face double the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding side effects, compared to patients taking the older blood thinner warfarin.
July 2013 – Patients administered newer oral blood thinners like Xarelto may have a 55% higher risk of suffering gastrointestinal bleeding than patients receiving standard care, according to a study published in the medical journal Gastroenterology.
In a Phase III study designed to examine the safety of Xarelto treatment, 73% of the 16,041 study participants who took at least one dose of the blood thinner suffered side effects, including anemia and uncontrollable bleeding. Patients who took higher doses of Xarelto were reportedly more likely to experience internal bleeding and other serious complications.
The current market for blood thinner drugs like Xarelto is estimated to be valued at $10 billion, and many pharmaceutical drug companies are developing newer anticoagulants to get a piece of this market share. At the same time, critics are accusing these drug companies of developing potentially dangerous drugs in an effort to protect their bottom line, without concern for the safety of the patients taking their medications. Xarelto lawsuits filed against Bayer Healthcare and Janssen Pharmaceuticals over side effects from the controversial blood thinner allege that:
A growing number of product liability lawsuits have been filed against Bayer Healthcare and Janssen Pharmaceuticals over uncontrollable bleeding events and other alleged side effects of Xarelto, and as more consumers and medical professionals become aware of the risks potentially associated with the medication, additional complaints are expected to be filed in the future. If you believe you have been adversely affected by Xarelto complications like uncontrollable internal bleeding, hemorrhaging, stroke or gastrointestinal bleeding, our consumer advocates at the Consumer Justice Foundation can help. We are dedicated to protecting the rights of consumers harmed by dangerous medications, and can help put you in touch with a qualified attorney who has experience handling Xarelto side effect claims.
