Xarelto

What is Xarelto used for?

Xarelto is a pharmaceutical drug manufactured by Bayer and Johnson & Johnson to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots in people with atrial fibrillation. Xarelto was developed to replace Warfarin (Coumadin) which can be reversed with Vitamin K. The downside to Warfarin was that it requires close monitoring of dosage and diet, whereas Xarelto does not.  Xarelto is a once a day medication. It is also used to treat deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and helps reduce the risk of these conditions occurring again. Lastly, it is used to reduce the risk of forming a blood clot in the legs and lungs of people who have just had knee or hip replacement surgery. As a prescription medicine, Xarelto actually increases the risk of internal hemorrhaging, brain bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, excessive/uncontrollable/irreversible bleeding, heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism, and blood clots. 

As a prescription medicine, Xarelto actually increases the risk of internal hemorrhaging, brain bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, excessive/uncontrollable/irreversible bleeding, heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism, and blood clots. The first plaintiff took Xarelto in 2014 for Atrial Fibrillation for only 21 days. Nevertheless, he developed severe gastrointestinal bleeding requiring numerous blood transfusions to save his life.

The crux of the problem is that when a bleed occurs, warfarin can be reversed with Vitamin K.  There is no reversal agent or antidote for Xarelto. Furthermore, stopping Xarelto abruptly can also result in stroke.Within the first two years of its use, Xarelto has had over $2 billion in sales, with over 1 million prescriptions written. Experts fear that the number of individuals who are injured by this drug will exceed several thousand. If you believe that your side effects are associated with Xarelto, please contact our firm to discuss your legal rights and options.

What other risk factors and side effects are associated with Xarelto?

• • Persons who have atrial fibrillation may have an increased risk of forming a blood clot in the heart, brain, or other parts of the body.  Also, there is an increased risk for stroke.

• • Those who underwent hip surgery run the risk of severe bleeding doubles.

• • If a person suffers from Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS), Xarelto more than triples the risk of major bleeding.

• • For those taking blood thinners while acutely ill: patients face an almost three-fold increase in the risk of major bleeding events.

• • For people who have the medicine injected into their spinal and epidural area, or have a spinal puncture: They have a risk of forming a blood clot that can cause long-term or permanent loss of the ability to move. There is also a higher risk of developing a spinal or epidural blood clot if: a thin tube called an epidural catheter is placed in your back to give you certain medicine, you take NSAID’s or a medicine to prevent blood from clotting, you have a history of difficult or repeated epidural/spinal punctures, or if you have a history of problems with your spine or have had surgery on your spine.

• Xarelto can also cause serious bleeding, blood clots, and strokes, which can lead to death.

Xarelto lawsuits

Several hundred lawsuits have been filed against Bayer and Johnson & Johnson for these serious injuries and deaths.  The federal litigation is presently being handled by Judge Fallon in the Eastern District of Louisiana. The Federal Multidistrict Litigation began in December 2014.  During that year, Bayer and J&J grossed over $3.7 billion in sales of Xarelto. As of March, there were 15, 611 claims pending. The first trial is scheduled for April 24, 2017. The second trial is set for May 30, 2017.

Legal representation for victims of Xarelto’s affects

Tomes Law Firm, PC has provided excellent legal representation for people who have felt the negative effects of Xarelto. If you have been harmed by this drug, you may have a claim against Bayer and Johnson & Johnson. This provides you with the possibility of recovering funds for medical expenses, pain and suffering, negligence of the pharmaceutical companies and lost wages. Contact our firm to discuss your legal needs.