Xarelto

Xarelto, the billion-dollar blood thinner manufactured by Bayer and marketed by Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit, may help reduce the risk of blood clots, pulmonary embolism and stroke, but it has also been linked to a potential increased risk of devastating side effects, like uncontrolled internal bleeding possibly leading to hospitalization or death. If you believe you have been adversely affected by side effects of Xarelto, consult an experienced Xarelto attorney to explore your possible compensation options. You may be entitled to damages for your injuries, medical expenses, and pain and suffering, which you can pursue by filing a Xarelto lawsuit against Bayer.

Research Linking Xarelto to Side Effects

The real danger with Xarelto lies in the fact that there is no approved antidote for the anticoagulant drug, which means doctors are unable to reverse the blood thinning effects of Xarelto in the event of a bleeding incident, which can lead to hospitalization or death. And, because Xarelto is designed to prevent clotting, the uncontrolled bleeding will continue until the medication is flushed out of the system.

In 2011, the New England Journal of Medicine published the results of the ROCKET AF clinical trial, which compared Xarelto treatment to warfarin, an older-generation blood thinner that has been on the market for decades. According to the FDA, the study failed to demonstrate that Xarelto was more effective than warfarin, and showed that it was linked to a higher risk of abdominal bleeding than warfarin.

The following year, the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery published a study involving more than 13,000 patients who took either Xarelto or another blood thinner called heparin, following knee or hip surgery. According to the researchers’ findings, the group taking Xarelto had a nearly four-times increased risk of wound complications, compared to the group taking heparin.

Another study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in 2012, found that patients who took the anticoagulant Xarelto had a significant return-to-surgery rate within 30 days of beginning treatment. More recently, in 2015, the British Medical Journal published research which found that Xarelto was associated with double the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, compared to warfarin treatment.

Possible Side Effects of Xarelto

Blood clots
Heart attack
Stroke
Internal bleeding

Brain hemorrhage
Liver injury
Gastrointestinal bleeding
Wrongful death

In 2015, the British Medical Journal published research which found that Xarelto was associated with double the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, compared to warfarin treatment.

Possible Side Effects of Xarelto

Blood clots
Heart attack
Stroke
Internal bleeding

Brain hemorrhage
Liver injury
Gastrointestinal bleeding
Wrongful death

What is Xarelto?

Xarelto (rivaroxaban) is one of the newest anticoagulant drugs on the market in the United States, prescribed to prevent dangerous blood clots in patients who have undergone knee or hip replacement surgery, or to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. Xarelto was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011, following a fast-track regulatory review, which allows medications to enter the market without stringent testing, as long as they are substantially similar to drugs already available for consumer use. Unlike older anticoagulant drugs that require doctors to prescribe specific doses for each patient, Xarelto and other new-generation blood thinners are prescribed in one uniform dose. Because of this, Xarelto has been marketed as a more convenient treatment option than older blood thinners.

Filing a Xarelto Lawsuit

Patients who suffered serious medical complications while taking Xarelto claim that they never would have taken if they had been fully aware of the risks. Lawsuits allege that Bayer and Johnson & Johnson:

Failed to provide adequate warnings to the public about the potential side effects.
Misrepresented the safety and effectiveness of Xarelto.
Knew Xarelto was unsafe, but continued to sell and advertise the medication.
Concealed the risks of Januvia from consumers and the medical community.

Xarelto Lawsuit Information

While all anticoagulant drugs are known to carry a risk of internal bleeding, the fact that Xarelto doesn’t have an emergency antidote to reverse the effects of the drug makes it significantly more dangerous than older blood thinners. If you took Xarelto to reduce your risk of blood clots or stroke, and you have since suffered a potentially life-threatening side effect like uncontrollable bleeding, contact a knowledgeable Xarelto injury lawyer today for legal help. You may have grounds to file a product liability lawsuit against Bayer, in order to pursue fair and timely reimbursement for your losses.