Plavix Can Cause Heart Attacks And Strokes. Are you a resident of Staten Island, New York who has been injured by Plavix? Plavix, a popular blood thinner used to prevent heart attacks and strokes, has been associated with a number of serious side effects including heart attacks and strokes; serious bleeding, such as gastrointestinal bleeding and cerebral hemorrhaging; and a life-threatening condition called Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP). Staten Island, New York residents who suffered from any of these side effects may be entitled to obtain compensation for their injuries by filing Plavix lawsuits.

Lawyers at Parker Waichman LLP who specialize in representing Staten Island plaintiffs in defective drug lawsuits are offering free legal consultations to victims of Plavix side effects. Our Staten Island ‘Plavix’ attorneys may be able to help you obtain compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and other damages. To discuss your potential lawsuit with one of our Staten Island personal injury lawyers, we urge you to contact us today.

Plavix Side Effects

Plavix, known generically as clopidogrel bisulfate, is manufactured by Sanofi Aventis and Bristol-Myer Squibb and is among the best-selling drugs in the world. Approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997, ‘Plavix’ works by helping to prevent harmful blood clots that may cause heart attacks or strokes. Staten Island ‘Plavix’ lawsuits claim the drug’s makers failed to adequately warn of the serious and potentially fatal risks associated with the blood thinner. As a result, thousands of individuals have suffered serious and potentially life threatening injuries, including:

• Heart attack and stroke
• Death
• Gastrointestinal bleeding, including recurrent and bleeding ulcers
• Cerebral (brain) bleeding
• Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) – A condition that causes blood clots to form in small blood vessels throughout the body. Symptoms may include headaches, confusion, malaise, fever, difficulty speaking, and paralysis.

As far back as 1998, the FDA charged that Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Aventis falsely credited Plavix with the ability to be more effective than aspirin in treating heart disease. In early 2006, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that ‘Plavix’ actually increased the chances of suffering the conditions it was designed to prevent. “Although doctors believe the combination of Plavix and aspirin should reduce the risk of a second heart attack, it nearly doubles the risk of death, heart attack, or stroke in people with no history of heart disease,” according to the study authors.

A 2005 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that patients taking ‘Plavix’ suffered 12 times as many ulcers as patients who take aspirin plus a heartburn pill. In the 320-person study’s ‘Plavix’ group, 8.6 percent experienced stomach bleeding, while .07 percent suffered similar problems while taking aspirin therapy.

In 2000, another study published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirmed that Plavix increases the risk of TTP, even after using the blood thinner for only a short period of time. In TTP, tiny blood clots form in small arteries throughout the body, destroying red blood cells and causing anemia. The disorder can also damage the brain, kidneys and other organs.

Legal Help for Staten Island Plavix Injury Victims

If you are a Staten Island, New York resident who has suffered a serious Plavix side effect, you have valuable legal rights. To learn how our Staten Island Plavix lawyers can help you recover compensation for your injuries, please fill out our online form or call 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529) for your free lawsuit evaluation.

Plavix Timeline

Nov. 17, 1997: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Plavix to prevent and reduce the occurrence of atherosclerotic events such as myocardial infarction, stroke and blood clots in patients who have a history these diseases. The drug is manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

Jan. 20, 2005: The New England Journal of Medicine publishes a study showing that Plavix patients tend to have a higher rate of ulcers than patients taking aspirin combined with a heartburn pill. Lead author Dr. Francis Chan states that some patients should also consider switching to Aspirin because it is much less expensive than ‘Plavix’, and available over-the-counter.

Apr. 20, 2006: The New England Journal of Medicine publishes a study demonstrating that ‘Plavix’ combined with Aspirin has no significant benefit over Aspirin therapy alone in treating patients at risk for atherosclerotic events.

Aug. 8, 2006: Canadian manufacturer Apotex Corp. markets a generic version of Plavix as part of an “at-risk launch”. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Sanofi argue that their patent is valid, and Apotex should not be allowed to sell the drug.

Aug. 17, 2006: The FDA approves Plavix for acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients who are not undergoing angioplasty. A STEMI is a severe type of heart attack triggered by the completely blocked artery.

Jan. 26, 2009: The FDA announces an ongoing safety review of Plavix used in combination with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as omeprazole (sold under the brand name Prilosec, Prevacid). The agency cites conflicted findings about this interaction; some studies indicate that PPIs may reduce the effectiveness of ‘Plavix’, while others do not. The FDA also informs the public that the effectiveness of ‘Plavix’ may vary between patients based on their genetic metabolic tendencies.

May 2009: The FDA includes information about the reduced effectiveness of Plavix in patients who are unable to properly metabolize the drug.

Nov. 17, 2009: The FDA states that the Plavix safety label will be updated, and cites data showing that anti-clotting activity may be half as effective when ‘Plavix’ is taken with omeprazole.

2010: Plavix sales reach over $6.1 billion in the U.S. and $9.1 billion worldwide.

Mar. 12, 2010: The FDA issues a “black box warning” for ‘Plavix’, to “Warn about reduced effectiveness in patients who are poor metabolizers of ‘Plavix’. Poor metabolizers do not effectively convert Plavix to its active form in the body.” Genetic testing is available to determine whether or not a patient can properly metabolize ‘Plavix’.

Jan. 2011: The FDA extends Plavix’s patent expiration date by an additional six months. The date is now set for May 17, 2012.

Feb. 8, 2012: Apotex pays over $442 million to end the patent infringement case with Plavix manufacturers.

Feb. 21, 2012: The Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease journal publishes a study showing that Aspirin can be just as effective as ‘Plavix’ in improving leg circulation for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD).

References:
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/97/020839_plavix_toc.cfm http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/2006/ucm108712.htm
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/DrugSafetyInformationforHeathcareProfessionals/ucm079520.htm
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/DrugSafetyInformationforHeathcareProfessionals/ucm190787.htm
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm203888.htm http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/02/21/aspirin-as-good-as-plavix-for-poor-leg-circulation-study http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F01E0D61338F933A15752C0A9639C8B63 http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa060989
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/02/27/top-selling-drugs-are-about-to-lose-patent-protection-ready/ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704698004576104241735368126.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500395_162-57373391/drugmaker-pays-$442m-in-plavix-patent-case/ http://www.inpharm.com/news/155632/plavix-sales-plummet-england

Need Legal Help Regarding Plavix?

The personal injury attorneys at Parker Waichman LLP offer free, no-obligation case evaluations. For more information, fill out our online contact form or call 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).