In addition to risks of hemorrhaging associated with taking Pradaxa, a study published in the January 9, 2012 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine reports that patients taking Pradaxa (dabigatran) have a 33% greater chance of developing heart disease or experiencing cardiac arrest.
Currently, Pradaxa is being investigated by the Food and Drug Administration. Even so, the authors of the above-referenced study continue to insist that for certain patients suffering from arrhythmia, the benefits of taking Pradaxa outweigh the risks. However, individual case reports indicate that some of the patients who suffered severe bleeding may have been unaware of the increased risk.
No Known Antidote for Bleeding When on Pradaxa
For those patients taking the anticoagulant drug Coumadin (warafran), there are highly effective measures doctors can use to stop severe bleeding that may occur. However, for those patients taking Pradaxa, there is no known way to prevent the uncontrollable bleeding that can happen. The Journal for Neurosurgery published an article that specifically stated “in the event of traumatic hemorrhage in patients receiving dabigatran (Pradaxa)…there are no known effective reversal agents to stop the effects of the drug.”
Emergency room doctors have tried putting patients on dialysis machines to stop Pradaxa induced bleeding. However, even after 2 hours of dialysis, only 35% to 50% of the drug had been removed from the patients’ systems. So, unfortunately, emergency room physicians have concluded that this treatment process is not very effective for Pradaxa removal.
On March 6, 2012, the Journal for Neurosurgery published a report, which concluded that Pradaxa may be responsible for irreversible bleeding after an elderly gentleman, who experienced a minor fall, died of a brain hemorrhage. It should be noted that dialysis treatment was not employed with this patient, as the treating doctors stated that “by the time of his deterioration it was too late to implement effectively.”
The 83-year-old gentleman who was the subject of the article was treated at the Utah Medical Center for a routine fall. Two hours after his arrival and initial treatment, this man experienced complications. CT scans indicated extensive bleeding with possible hemorrhaging in his brain. Tragically, the treating physicians were unable to stop the hemorrhaging and the gentleman died as a result. The types of falls that can lead to unstoppable hemorrhaging are very common among the elderly. Consequently, elderly patients who take Pradaxa for stroke prevention may be at serious risk for uncontrollable bleeding if they experience a fall.
The attorneys at Christopher Ligori & Associates have extensive experience handling cases for the victims of Pradaxa. If you or someone you know has suffered hemorrhaging or has experienced side effects while taking Pradaxa , please call the office at 813-223-2929 for a free consultation.
