Yasmin Birth Control Lawsuit News

by Steve Fields on August 1st, 2010

Yasmin birth control lawsuit claims continue to be filed by women suffering from serious side effects. Clotting is a normal healing mechanism of your body’s vascular system. When a blood vessel is injured, platelets, proteins, and other clotting factors are activated to help prevent bleeding. To do so, they form a clot – or thrombus – over the injury. Once the traumatized blood vessel has been repaired, this same mechanism dissolves the clots. This prevents them from blocking the flow of blood.

Yasmin blood clots form in the absence of venous or arterial injuries. That is, their development lies outside your body’s natural clotting – and clot-dissolving – mechanism. They often form in the deep veins of the body (typically, in the legs), where they pose a risk of the following serious health complications.

Deep Vein Thrombosis And Post-Thrombotic Syndrome

One of the most common sites of Yaz blood clot problems is in the deep veins of the calves and thighs. This condition is known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). While symptoms are occasionally absent, DVT is typically accompanied by pain and swelling in the affected leg. Both are due to poor venous circulation as clots impair blood flow.

One of the consequences of DVT is valve damage (known as post-thrombotic syndrome). The deep veins are equipped with one-way valves that ensure blood flows in one direction (i.e. toward your heart). Yaz blood clots cause inflammation in these valves, which damages them. They become unable to perform their job. As a result, blood begins to pool within the veins, causing further damage to the valves and increased swelling.

Pulmonary Embolism And Hypertension

DVT poses another danger. Blood clots can break off from the venous wall (i.e. embolize) and be carried along with the bloodstream. The deep veins of your legs drain into the inferior vena cava. This is a large vein that delivers oxygen-poor blood to the right side of your heart. If clots within your legs embolize, they can be carried through the vena cava and into your heart.

Blood is pumped by the right side of your heart into your pulmonary arteries. Clots that are present are also pumped into these arteries. They travel downstream until they form an obstruction, preventing blood from reaching the underlying lung tissue. This causes a pulmonary embolism, which can lead to lung damage.

A blockage in the pulmonary arteries will also cause blood pressure to rise in the lungs. This is called pulmonary hypertension. Your heart’s right side will begin to work harder in order to pump a sufficient volume of blood to your lungs. To compensate, it grows larger and thickens. Eventually, however, it succumbs to the added stress, leading to right-sided heart failure.

Stroke And Heart Attack

If Yaz side effects involving blood clots that originated in the legs gain access to the left side of your heart, they can cause a stroke or heart attack. This can occur if an atrial septal defect (ASD) exists. ASD is a hole in the wall that separates the left and right sides of your heart; it allows clots to cross from the right atrium to the left atrium. Once they have crossed to the left side, clots can leave your heart and migrate into the aorta.

Your aorta is a large artery that delivers oxygen-rich blood to every area of your body. Yaz blood clots that emerge from your heart can travel from the aorta into the carotid arteries or the coronary arteries. Your carotid arteries feed blood and oxygen to your brain. An obstruction will set off a stroke. Your coronary arteries supply your heart. If they become blocked, you will experience a heart attack.

Blood clots pose greater risks than many women realize. They can obstruct major arteries and cause a pulmonary embolism, hypertension, stroke, or heart attack. If you have suffered abnormal clotting, DVT, or other Yaz side effects, you may be able to file a claim for compensation for your injuries. Contact an experienced Yaz lawsuit 2010 attorney to discuss your case.