Yaz Lawsuit 2010 News

by admin on August 20th, 2010

Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella are known as a fourth-generation oral contraceptives because they contains drospirenone, a synthetic progestin. Studies have revealed that this progestin, when combined with the hormone estrogen, significantly increases the risk of abnormal clotting. This can cause Yaz side effects involving deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a condition in which clots (or, thrombi) form in the deep veins. Please contact us for the latest Yaz lawsuit 2010 news update.

A DVT typically occurs in the legs. It is accompanied by pain and swelling as circulation becomes increasingly impaired. More worrisome, however, is that the condition may lead to pulmonary embolism, stroke, and other serious side effects. Given the right set of circumstances, a clot that forms in your legs can potentially lead to heart failure.

Blood Clot Migration From A DVT

Clots form along the walls of blood vessels where they remain attached until other forces intervene. In the case of DVT, the deep veins are buried within muscles. When you move your legs, these muscles contract around the veins. The contractions essentially pump blood from your legs to your heart and lungs, where the blood is replenished with oxygen.

The force of the muscles’ contractions can dislodge thrombi that are attached to the venous wall. The clots become emboli, free to roam with your bloodstream. As blood is pushed from your legs to your heart, so, too, are the detached clots.

The deep veins in your lower extremities drain into the inferior vena cava, the lower part of the largest blood vessel in your body. The inferior vena cava leads directly to your heart, and empties into the right atrium (i.e. one of the two upper chambers). From there, blood moves into the right ventricle before being pumped to your pulmonary arteries.

Unfortunately, emboli travel along this same path. They move into the pulmonary arteries and migrate downstream until they form a blockage, which prevents blood from reaching your lung tissue. This is a pulmonary embolism. In severe cases, it can be fatal.

The Effects On The Lungs And Heart

While Yaz problems caused by a PE should always be considered a medical emergency, the condition rarely results in death. More commonly, it causes lung tissue damage, and thus impairs the affected lung’s ability to oxygenate your blood. You may experience shortness of breath, chest pain, and persistent coughing. But a pulmonary embolism may have more serious side effects on your lungs and heart.

When a blockage exists within a pulmonary artery, your heart is forced to pump harder in order to deliver sufficient blood to your lungs. This increases the level of pressure in your lungs, a condition known as pulmonary hypertension. As your blood pressure rises, the right side of your heart tries to offset the increased workload; its walls becomes thicker and the ventricle expands.

This event is known as cor pulmonale. Unfortunately, this response only works for a short time. The pressure eventually places so much stress on your right ventricle that it fails.

When The Right Side Of Your Heart Fails

Symptoms of right ventricular failure often develop gradually, giving you an opportunity to seek medical care. You might notice progressive swelling in your legs due to fluid retention. You will also experience a marked shortness of breath that becomes steadily more pronounced. Because the right side of your heart is unable to pump sufficient blood to your lungs, less becomes available for the rest of your body. This eventually results in hypovolemic shock, a precursor to death.

In order for a deep vein thrombosis to lead to heart failure, an unlikely series of events much occur. But the risk is real. Nine out of ten cases of pulmonary embolism are caused by blood clots that travel from the deep veins in the legs to the lungs. Pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure may follow.

If you or someone you know has suffered DVT, PE, or gallbladder disease side effects, you may have the right to file a claim for compensation. Contact an experienced Yaz lawyer to discuss your case.