The legal team at Randall & Schumacher, P.A. is investigating potential lawsuits against the maker of the drug Xarelto (rivarozaban). The drug lawsuits allege that Xarelto can cause major internal bleeding, strokes, intracerebral hemorrhaging, GI bleed and death. In Xarelto lawsuits that have been filed, the victims have been hospitalized after taking Xarelto, have suffered uncontrolled bleeding episodes, and bleeding sometimes resulting in death.
The drug Xarelto is an anticoagulant or blood thinner that prevents the formation of blood clots and is used in people with atrial fibrillation to lower the risk of stroke. It is also used in people to prevent or treat deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which can lead to blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism). Sometimes, Xarelto is given to individuals recovering from hip or knee surgery. Xarelto belongs to a class of anticoagulant drugs know as Factor Xa inhibitors. Approved in 2011, Xarelto is one of the newest blood thinners on the market, is manufactured by Bayer and marketed by a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Xarelto was promoted as a superior choice when compared to another anticoagulant, warfarin (Coumadin). The Xarelto manufacturer claimed that Xarelto is easier to take and requires less frequent monitoring to maintain the correct dosage. The most dangerous side effect for people taking Xarelto is uncontrollable bleeding – a risk shared by all blood thinners. Unlike other blood thinners on the market, uncontrolled internal bleeding caused by Xarelto cannot be reversed with Vitamin K treatment or with dialysis. The use of Xarelto can result in internal bleeding, hemorrhages, gastrointestinal bleeding, strokes or death
In September 2013, the German newspaper Der Spiegel reported that there had been nearly 1,000 adverse events involving the drug Xarelto during the first eight months of 2013 alone. 72 of the 2013 adverse events involving Xarelto resulted in death.
In May 2014, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) reported that doctors and patients were reporting adverse events linked to the use of Xarelto in increasing numbers. ISMP reported in QuarterWatch that there were approximately 680 Xarelto adverse events reported in the U.S. in 2013.
In January 2014, the FDA updated the Xarelto warning and reported: “A specific antidote for rivaroxaban is not available. Because of high plasma protein binding, [of the drug] rivaroxaban is not expected to be dialyzable [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)]. Protamine sulfate and vitamin K are not expected [to reverse the effects of rivaroxaban] … The use of other procoagulant reversal agents like activated prothrombin complex concentrate (APCC) or recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) has not been evaluated.”
Never stop taking any medication without first consulting your doctor, and do not stop taking your Xarelto medication unless advised by your doctor. In the United States, the use of Xarelto has been associated with uncontrolled internal bleeding, hemorrhages, gastrointestinal bleeding, strokes, intracerebral hemorrhages and death. If you or a loved one has suffered injury resulting in hospitalization or death while taking the medication Xarelto, please contact the attorneys in our office for a free evaluation.
Call Randall & Schumacher, P.A. at 833-515-6101 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation at our Minneapolis office.
