Patients taking Xarelto at 20% increased risk for GI bleeds compared to Eliquis, Pradaxa

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, USA, January 26, 2017 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A new study by the Mayo Clinic shows the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is higher for patients taking Xarelto compared to other drugs in its class.

The study, published online Dec. 31 in the journal Gastroenterology, compared the GI safety profile of three rival oral anticoagulants: Xarelto (rivaroxaban), Pradaxa (dabigatran) and Eliquis (apixaban).

Xarelto, Pradaxa and Eliquis are new-generation blood thinners used to prevent blood clots, often in patients with the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation.

The study used data from both privately insured patients and Medicare Advantage patients to compare the medications’ safety profiles when it comes to GI bleeding. All of the patients had atrial fibrillation and had used one of the three blood thinners between October 2010 and February 2015.

Researchers found that GI bleeding occurred more frequently in patients taking Xarelto compared to Pradaxa, with a roughly 20% increased risk, while Eliquis had the lowest GI bleeding risk of the three medications.

Patients were most likely to suffer from a GI bleed within 90 days of starting either Xarelto or Eliquis and within 120 days of starting Pradaxa.

The risk of GI bleeds also increased with age. Patients over the age of 75 were at an increased risk for GI bleeds compared to patients younger than 75.

The study authors concluded that Eliquis had the most favorable GI safety profile, even among very elderly patients, and Xarelto had the least favorable.

Why is this important?

Blood thinners like Xarelto work to stop blood from clotting inside the body. This helps prevent dangerous blood clots, such as those that cause strokes and heart attacks, from forming.

It also means that these medications have the potential to cause serious and uncontrollable bleeding.

There is currently no antidote to stop a Xarelto bleeding episode, unlike the traditional blood thinner warfarin and even the novel oral anticoagulant Pradaxa. (An antidote for Pradaxa was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2015.)

Patients who suffer a bleed while taking Xarelto are at risk of bleeding to death because there is no approved antidote to stop it.

Xarelto has been associated with an increased risk for not only GI bleeds, but also brain bleeds and rectal bleeds.

There are nearly 15,000 lawsuits against the maker of Xarelto -- Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals -- pending in a multidistrict litigation in Louisiana federal court. The lawsuits accuse Janssen of designing a defective product and failing to disclose its potential risks to the public.

Xarelto patients who experience side effects like uncontrollable bleeding may be able to file lawsuits of their own.

Schmidt National Law Group is currently seeking claimants and is in the process of filing claims related to Xarelto and uncontrollable bleeding. Contact us today at 1-800-214-1010 or visit our website to learn more.

About Schmidt National Law Group

Schmidt National Law Group is a personal injury firm located in San Diego, Calif. Its team of experienced attorneys represents victims of all types of injuries, including those harmed by pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices.

Schmidt National Law Group’s team of attorneys, medical professionals, writers, and case managers fight every day for the rights of the injured. Martin Schmidt, a trial attorney with 30 years experience, has been recognized as a leading personal injury attorney and was chosen as one of the "Top 100 Trial Lawyers" by the American Association for Justice in 2015 and 2016.

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