Boehringer Ingelheim To Face Pradaxa Stroke Lawsuits

Boehringer Ingelheim is going to face many lawsuits related to strokes caused by its blood-thinning drug Pradaxa. Many patients claim that they have suffered hemorrhagic strokes following the use of Pradaxa. Pradaxa is used to prevent an ischemic stroke, which is caused by clots in the blood traveling to the brain. But use of Pradaxa has caused hemorrhagic strokes, which is opposite to the ischemic strokes. These strokes have made base for many Pradaxa stroke lawsuits. More such cases are in offing.

Boehringer Ingelheim is being showered with several lawsuits related to side effects of its blood-thinning drug Pradaxa. Lawsuits related to hemorrhagic strokes due to use of Pradaxa has increased problem of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceutical Inc. Pradaxa was approved for prevention of strokes in patients of artrial fibrillation on October 19th 2010. Artrial fibrillation is health condition in which there are very fast and uncoordinated contractions of the heart upper heart chambers. It is one of the most common heart ailments. Patients of with artrial fibrillation have a higher risk of developing blood clots, thus Pradaxa is useful for them.

Pradaxa is an anticoagulant containing Dabigatran. It is a direct thrombin inhibitor. It prevents clotting in the blood. The safety and efficacy of Pradaxa was found higher than another anticoagulant Warfarin in a clinical trial. Patients who used Pradaxa are at lower risk of strokes compared to patients taking Warfarin, which is another blood thinning drug.

New reports have linked Pradaxa with risk of hemorrhages. Being a blood-thinning drug Pradaxa increases risk of bleeding, which could lead to hemorrhagic strokes. A report published in journal of Neurosurgery has also suggested that use of Pradaxa could increase risk of hemorrhage and hemorrhagic strokes. The study was conducted by Department of Neurosurgery, University of Utah. The most worrisome fact is that there is no antidote to reverse the side effect of bleeding occurring due to Pradaxa. Pradaxa is deemed as safer and more effective oral anticoagulants compared to Warfarin through clinical trials. But these side effects have raised question on safety of this drug.

FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System has also received many reports of hemorrhages or hemorrhagic strokes due to use of Pradaxa. A report by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices in January 2012 also suggests same fact. Around 500 cases of Pradaxa bleeding has been reported. It is far too much compared to Warfarin and other such drugs. U. S. Food and Drug Administration has received around 300 reports of Pradaxa side effects in first three months after approval of Pradaxa. Around 250 cases of death due to internal bleeding leading to hemorrhage or hemorrhagic stroke as a side effect of Pradaxa have been reported till now.

There may be many lawsuits filed in future against Boehringer Ingelheim related to Pradaxa hemorrhagic stroke. These lawsuits will get a boost, as the manufacturer has not given adequate warning against serious and potentially life-threatening health problems associated with Pradaxa. Lawsuits are also blaming Boehringer Ingelheim of using flawed initial clinical trials to get approval for the drug. Company is being accused of not doing much research about its side effects before launching the blood thinning pill in the market.
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