Yasmin Lawsuit

by Steve Fields on March 22nd, 2010

Bayer Healthcare has attracted significant criticism over the last few years due to the connection between Yaz – Yasmin and blood clots. Women throughout the United States have looked at filing a Yasmin lawsuit to help compensate them for unpaid medical bills, time lost from work and injuries. This birth control pill combines estrogen with a synthetic progestin hormone called drospirenone. Studies show this combination may raise the risk of abnormal clotting 6.3-fold over non-usage. Women have suffered serious health complications as the result of this clotting effect. In an effort to ward off the threat of clot-induced stroke, pulmonary embolism, and heart attack, doctors will often prescribe blood thinners.

There are two types of blood thinners: anticoagulants and antiplatelets. Both work differently to prevent clotting and both pose potential side effects. If you or a family member has suffered from Yasmin or Yaz side effects please contact us and one of our Yaz attorneys will help explain your legal options.

Anticoagulant Therapy For Yasmin Blood Clots

The most common anticoagulants are warfarin (a generic form of Coumadin) and heparin. The former comes in pill form and requires a few days to begin taking effect. The latter is administered intravenously or through injection, and takes effect immediately. Some conditions, such as pulmonary embolism or severe deep vein thrombosis, are serious enough to warrant both. However, as soon as warfarin begins to have an effect, heparin is stopped.

Warfarin works by reducing your body’s production of vitamin K. This vitamin is partly responsible for managing the proteins in your blood that contribute to clotting. By disrupting its production, warfarin hampers your body’s ability to create clots.

Heparin works differently than warfarin to promote the same outcome. Rather than inhibiting the production of vitamin K, it activates a protein molecule called antithrombin III. Once activated, this molecule deactivates some of the enzymes used to form clots (notably, thrombin).

Antiplatelet Drugs For Yasmin Blood Clots

Antiplatelets are used in conjunction with anticoagulants to treat problems related to abnormal clotting. They perform their job by inhibiting the activity of small cells in your blood called platelets.

When you suffer an injury, platelets arrive at the scene and begin aggregating. They stick to each other and form a covering over the injury. This helps to stop the bleeding and allows your body to begin the healing process. Antiplatelet medications reduce the adhesive quality of these platelets. As a result, they become less capable of sticking together.

Potential Side Effects Of Blood Thinners

Both anticoagulants and antiplatelets pose a high risk of bleeding, which can occur anywhere in the body, including the brain. Profuse bleeding can be potentially fatal. For this reason, both types of blood thinners may be inappropriate for some patients, such as those who have recently undergone surgery.

Other potential side effects include abdominal pain, chest pain, swollen face and hands, and difficulty breathing. Some patients experience lightheadedness and severe headaches. Others report having trouble swallowing or hearing a persisting ringing in their ears. Patients experience side effects differently and with varying levels of intensity.

If you suffer from Yaz deep vein thrombosis or other clot-related issues, the severity of the condition will influence whether anticoagulants and antiplatelets are used. For example, a single event of DVT may prompt your doctor to prescribe warfarin. But therapy is usually stopped after a few months to prevent the onset of side effects. On the other hand, serious events, such as stroke, pulmonary embolism, and heart attack, usually require a more aggressive approach.

Treating Blood Clot Problems

Otherwise healthy women have suffered abnormal blood clots after taking Yaz and Yasmin birth control pills. Rather than forming to heal wounds or repair venous injuries, these clots develop as the result of estrogen and drospirenone, a synthetic progestin contained in these birth control pills. When clots develop in the deep veins of your legs and calves, they can become detached and travel to your heart. If this occurs, they can clog major arteries and trigger life-threatening medical events. Unfortunately, anticoagulants and antiplatelets are merely a short-term solution due to the potential side effects of using them.

If you have suffered from blood clots, DVT, pulmonary embolism, or other Yasmin side effects, take the time to learn about your legal rights including filing a Yaz lawsuit. Contact one of our Yasmin attorneys who will investigate your case.