Pradaxa Attorneys at The Hickey Law Firm
Pradaxa (dabigatran) is an anticoagulant, commonly referred to as a “blood thinner”, prescribed to prevent stroke by preventing blood clots. When Pradaxa became available in the U.S. in October, 2010, it was thought to be a safer and easier-to-use alternative to warfarin, but has turned out to be a very dangerous drug. If you have been harmed by Pradaxa, our Pradaxa attorneys can help.
Pradaxa Uses
Pradaxa is primarily prescribed to prevent stroke in people with atrial fibrillation that is not caused by a valve problem. It may also be used to prevent post-surgical clotting, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism (PE).
Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a heart rhythm abnormality in which the upper chambers of the heart beat rapidly and out of sync. Heart palpitations in AFib can be a frightening sensation, but are rarely life-threatening.
The big danger of AFib is that it can cause blood to pool in the heart and that still blood can clot. Then, the clot can move to the brain causing ischemic stroke. People with AFib who do not take some kind of anticoagulant are five to six times more likely to have a stroke than the general population.
How Pradaxa is Different and Dangerous
When Pradaxa became available, it sounded like a great alternative to older blood thinners, such as warfarin. Pradaxa is fast-acting, is supposed to be a one-size-fits-all dose, and is not affected by diet or the many medications which interfere with warfarin.
Improper dosing is one of the common factors in Pradaxa bleeding events. Pradaxa is removed from the body by the kidneys. Patients with impaired renal function must take a reduced dose, and even that does not always prevent bleeding events.
Medications which are affected by diet make compliance a serious problem. However, the fact that Pradaxa is not affected by Vitamin K is as much of a danger as it is an advantage.
All blood thinners come with the risk of causing spontaneous bleeding and uncontrollable bleeding when trauma occurs. Vitamin K can be administered to quickly reverse the clotting effects of warfarin. There is no reversal agent for Pradaxa.
If you or someone you love has been injured by Pradaxa, please call Jack Hickey, our Pradaxa attorney at 1-800-215-7117 or submit an online questionnaire. The initial consultation with our experienced Pradaxa attorneys is free of charge, and if we agree to handle your case, in most cases we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary recovery of funds. In many cases, a personal injury lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of limitations. Please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.