Yaz Recall Information

by admin on August 25th, 2010

Even as women continue to report serious Yaz side effects involving blood clots and gallbladder problems there has been no Yasmin or Yaz recall. Blood clots in the deep veins of the legs (known as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT) are the most common catalyst for Yaz problems involving a pulmonary embolism. The clots (i.e. thrombi) form due to the hormones – estrogen and drospirenone – that are introduced by the oral contraceptive into a woman’s bloodstream. They form along the inner walls of the deep veins, where they obstruct blood flow, and cause circulation issues.

These veins are surrounded by muscles. The muscles contract around them, and pump blood into your inferior vena cava, a large vein that delivers deoxygenated blood to the right side of your heart. These contractions can also dislodge clots. If this happens, the thrombi will travel with your bloodstream toward your heart. If they migrate into your lungs, they will trigger a PE, which in turn, may cause pulmonary hypertension. Both conditions are potentially life-threatening.

Permanent Lung Scarring

Your lungs receive blood from the right side of your heart via the pulmonary arteries. If an embolus is pumped from the right ventricle (i.e. lower chamber of the heart) into one of these arteries, it may cause an obstruction. If the passage of blood becomes completely blocked, the section of lung tissue supplied by the blocked artery will begin to starve.

Your lung tissue will not die immediately. Even in the event it sustains damage, it can heal. But this is predicated on your doctor’s ability to diagnose the condition quickly and accurately, and treat it before damage can spread. If too much time passes, the affected tissue will begin to scar. At that point, much of the damage becomes permanent.

Scarred lung tissue cannot oxygenate blood for the rest of your body. Thus, substantial scarring can result in damage to your other organs. You may also experience difficulty maintaining strenuous activity for extended periods.

Rising Blood Pressure In The Heart And Lungs

When a pulmonary embolism restricts the passage of blood through a pulmonary artery, your heart’s right ventricle starts to work harder. It pumps more aggressively in order to move the same volume of blood through the constricted space. The result is rising blood pressure in the lungs and the right side of your heart. This is a condition known as pulmonary hypertension.

Blood Clots In The Heart’s Chambers

One of the potential side effects caused by the rising blood pressure in your heart and lungs is an irregular heartbeat (i.e. arrhythmia). There are many types of arrhythmias, including premature atrial and ventricular contractions and various tachycardias. One form of arrhythmia called atrial fibrillation is particularly problematic because it poses a high risk of clotting in the heart.

With atrial fibrillation, the atria (i.e. the heart’s two upper chambers) flutter rapidly rather than beating in a uniform manner. This erratic rhythm prevents the chambers from emptying properly. Blood is allowed to pool and grow stagnant within them, which eventually leads to clots. If these clots develop within the left atrium or ventricle, they can exit the heart, and travel to a carotid artery. There, they can cause a stroke.

Right Ventricular Failure

As the blood pressure in your heart and lungs continues to rise, the workload placed upon the right ventricle increases. The ventricle persists, and pumps harder in order to push blood toward the lungs. To increase its capacity, the chamber becomes larger and thicker. But eventually, it wears out, ending in right-sided heart failure. While the condition is not always fatal, it may become so in the absence of quick treatment.

Doctors are supposed to warn women about the dangers of blood clots involving pulmonary embolism posed by this birth control pill. But many women remain unaware of the serious medical problems that can result. If you have suffered DVT, PE, pulmonary hypertension, or other Yaz side effects, you may be able to file a claim against the manufacturer. Contact a Yaz lawsuit lawyer to discuss your options.