Have you or a loved one been adversely affected by the common side effects of Pradaxa? Here are some of the known side effects of Pradaxa
Pradaxa is an FDA-approved medication prescribed to treat atrial fibrillation,which is a high-risk factor in strokes. Until Pradaxa was approved in 2010, most atrial fibrillation patients were prescribed a low-dose regimen of aspirin or Warfarin, a medication that works well but is often accompanied by dangerous side effects and other negative issues. Some people are looking to file a Pradaxa lawsuit with an experienced attorney after their results with this drug.
How Does Pradaxa Work?
Pradaxa is an anti-coagulant drug.The goal of such medications is to prevent dangerously large clots from forming without completely removing the blood’s ability to clot. Before Pradaxa, the main anti-coagulant medication worked by targeting vitamin K clotting factors in the body, which makes it harder for the patient’s blood to clot. Pradaxa also makes it harder for the blood to clot, but it does so in a different way. Instead of targeting vitamin K factors, Pradaxa controls blood clotting by blocking a protein called thrombin.
What Are the Benefits of Pradaxa?
Other anti-coagulants are notoriously difficult to manage. It can take several weeks to get the dosage right, and the medication requires constant monitoring because the line between too much and not enough medication is very slim. Even a patient’s diet can affect how much medicine is needed, and serious bleeding is always a concern for patients who are on these medications. These bleeding side effects are commonly in the brain and especially dangerous.
In contrast, Pradaxa is an easier medicine to manage. There is no waiting period before Pradaxa begins to work as it generally starts working within a few hours of the first dose. The dosage is the same for most patients, it does not require constant monitoring, and it is a drug with a low side effects profile. Pradaxa also has a short half-life; its effects will only last in the body for a day after the last dose.
What Side Effects Can Pradaxa Cause?
No medication is without side effects. Praxada has three major side effects that can be considered common. These include bleeding, upset stomach and gastritis, which is inflammation of the stomach lining. In addition, there is always the possibility of an allergic reaction.
Just like other anti-coagulants, the risk of serious bleeding is present with Praxada, and it is the most dangerous side effect of the drug. However, researchers have found that among Praxada patients who report bleeding, there is a higher risk of gastrointestinal bleeding than with cerebral bleeding. That is a positive point for Pradaxa because stomach bleeding is easier to deal with than bleeding in the brain.
Pradaxa should not be taken with other anti-coagulants, SSRI’s, anti-retroviral HIV drugs, and others because there have been known reactions recorded. Caution should always be used when taking other medications, supplements and herbs with Pradaxa.