Dangerous drugs alert: A recently published study indicates that patients who use the anticoagulant Xarelto are at a greatly increased risk of experiencing gastrointestinal bleeding.
The new study was published in the British Medical Journal. Over 45,000 Xarelto patients were included in that study, the goal of which was to compare Xarelto with Warfarin. Researchers concluded that the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding could be as much as double when compared to Warfarin. Researchers stated, “we cannot rule out a more than twofold higher risk of bleeding with rivaroxaban (Xarelto) compared with Warfarin.”
Xarelto is manufactured by Bayer Healthcare and Janssen, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary. First approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2011, Xarelto has become one of the most prescribed prescription drugs in the United States with over 11 million prescriptions written.
Xarelto was first approved for use in preventing blood clots associated with knee and hip implant surgeries. In addition to these approved applications, Xarelto has been used to treat pulmonary embolisms and deep vein thrombosis.
While Xarelto does not require routine blood testing and dietary restrictions like Warfarin, it carries risks in addition to a higher incidence of serious bleeding. Unlike Warfarin, administration of vitamin K will not reverse hemorrhaging. There is no antidote for hemorrhaging caused by Xarelto.
Xarelto is one of several dangerous drugs used for anticoagulation therapy. Pradaxa, manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim, entered the market one year before Xarelto. More than 4,000 lawsuits were filed against Boehringer Ingelheim alleging serious bleeding injuries. Those claims have been settled for $650 million.
The Ohio pharmaceutical injury attorneys at Clark, Perdue & List successfully represented individuals injured by Pradaxa and are currently representing individuals injured by Xarelto. If you or a loved one has been injured by Xarelto, contact Clark, Perdue & List.