TRASYLOL, A DRUG USED DURING HEART SURGERY, INCREASES RISK OF HEART ATTACKS, HEART FAILURE, KIDNEY DAMAGE AND STROKES

UPDATE: On November 5, 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that at the FDA’s request, Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corp. has agreed to a marketing suspension of Trasylol, a drug used to control bleeding during heart surgery. The decision followed a review of available data, including the results of a Canadian study from the Ottawa Health Institute suggesting there is an increased risk of death from the use of Trasylol. The study was actually stopped due to safety concerns. The suspension of marketing of Trasylol is believed to be the first phase of a withdrawal of Trasylol from the market, and in practical effect amounts to a recall.

UPDATE: Two Studies Published In New England Journal Of Medicine Confirm That Trasylol Causes Increased Risk Of Death And Kidney Damage. “60 Minutes” Television Show Devotes Segment to Trasylol.

Click Here To Read About Studies and to View 60 Minutes Video Segment

Introduction: If you or a loved one had injuries consisting of a heart attack, heart failure, kidney damage or a stroke sustained as a result of Trasylol administered during heart surgery, you may have a lawsuit that should be pursued. Although our Trasylol lawyers are located in Maryland (MD), Virginia (VA) and Washington, D.C. (DC), our drug litigation is national in scope, and our Trasylol lawyers are prepared to file lawsuits and litigate Trasylol cases around the country. Therefore, regardless of what state you’re from, please fill out the “Contact Us” form on the left side of this page or email us so that Ashcraft & Gerel, LLP can have an Ortho Evra lawyer contact you to discuss your claim and the potential of a lawsuit.

Trasylol, a drug used during heart surgery to limit blood loss, has been found to greatly increase the risk of heart attacks, heart failure, kidney damage and stroke.

Millions of men and women worldwide suffer from advanced coronary heart disease, a complicated and life-threatening ailment that occurs when plaque deposits in the arteries significantly inhibit blood flow to the heart muscles. This condition is sometimes called coronary artery disease, arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis, atherosclerotic heart disease or in laymens’ terms, narrowing or hardening of the arteries. In many of those cases, a surgical procedure known as a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), or cardiac or heart bypass is required to treat the condition caused by clogged arteries, restore blood flow to the heart muscles and facilitate a quick and complete recovery by the patient.

During the heart bypass or CABG procedure, physicians typically use a drug known as Trasylol (Aprotinin) to limit the amount of blood loss by the patient during the surgery. Approved in 1993, Trasylol is an injection that was originally considered to be a safe and essential component of invasive procedures such as CABG, bypass surgery and cardiac surgery. However, a recent health advisory issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) alerts doctors and the public to findings indicating that this medication is neither safe nor essential.

A January 2006 article in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that Trasylol increases the risk of heart attack 48 percent, heart failure 109 percent, and stroke 181 percent, according to a study among nearly 4,400 patients. These alarming statistics have led the FDA to issue an advisory warning of the risks and notifying the public of the possibility that the drug is dangerous. The advisory also indicated that the FDA is conducting a thorough safety evaluation to assess the drug’s risks and the possibility of future action. Future action could include withdrawal or recall from the market. Additionally, the FDA has advised doctors to carefully weigh the risks and benefits of Trasylol before administering the drug to patients. Trasylol has not yet been recalled or withdrawn from the market.

If you think you or a loved one may have suffered an injury or damages as a result of receiving Trasylol during a cardiac bypass, CABG, procedure, you owe it to yourself to speak to an experienced pharmaceutical attorney to see if you have a case and to discuss the possibility of bringing a lawsuit to recover for your damages and injuries. The attorney will be able to ascertain if you have a claim for which a lawsuit can be pursued and whether the case and lawsuit can be brought to a successful settlement, verdict, award or other recovery, and the experienced lawyer will be able to advise you on any deadlines for bringing your legal claim for damages. Please contact the law firm of Ashcraft and Gerel, LLP to discuss your case with an experienced drug or pharmaceutical lawyer in our Drug Litigation Department.

The lawyers at Ashcraft and Gerel, LLP have been leaders in pursuing lawsuits involving unsafe drugs, implants, and infusions. Our attorneys have successfully brought about verdicts, settlements, awards or other recoveries in lawsuits on behalf of clients who have been injured by Fen-Phen, Rezulin, Propulsid, Phenylpropanolamine (PPA), Baycol, breast implants and AIDS tainted blood. Although some of these lawsuits resulted in class action settlements, class actions are not the only way these cases are handled. The courts have devised methods to deal with mass torts so that each lawsuit can benefit from information and evidence gathered in other lawsuits nationwide and yet be handled on an individual basis.

We have a toll free number to reach an attorney to answer your questions with regard to your specific case. That number is 1-800-829-7037. Please ask to speak to Robert Samet, and he will place you in touch with one of our drug litigation lawyers. If you would prefer, please feel free to fill out the “Contact Us” form on the left side of this page or e-mail us. Please be sure to include your name, address, telephone number (if you wish to be called), email address and the exact nature of your question, so that our lawyer can provide you with the specific information you seek.