|
|
|
|
My grandfather has an aneurysm in his iliac vein for which he will need to have surgery. He used to take Vioxx for arthritis pain, and when it went off the market, his doctor switched him to Bextra. The aneurysm was diagnosed about three months after beginning Bextra. Can he successfully sue the manufacturers of both drugs?
That’s an excellent question given the recent news about both drugs being withdrawn from the market.
The cardiovascular safety of all COX-2 selective drugs (Vioxx, Bextra, Celebrex, etc.) has certainly come into question since the recalls of Merck’s Vioxx and Pfizer’s Bextra. In December of 2004, Pfizer warned doctors of the elevated risk of blood clots, heart attacks and strokes to which its painkiller Bextra has been linked when taken by cardiac-surgery patients. Nothing in that warning referred to aneurysms per se, although an aneurysm occurs within the cardiovascular system and can cause a stroke depending on where it is located in the body and if left untreated. Referring to medical definitions, an aneurysm is an outpouching or localized widening of an artery, vein, or the heart itself. At the area of an aneurysm, there is typically a bulge and the wall is weakened and may rupture.
Aneurysms are caused from an inherent weakness in the artery or vein wall, and are usually genetic. They could also be degenerative or, may be as a result of poor blood supply to the wall. This condition can be aggravated over time by factors like untreated or uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure) and frequent straining as in lifting weights. Hypertension and cigarette smoking contribute to the degenerative process. There is no way to prevent it since its main cause is genetic predisposition.
Consumer warnings provided with the prescription medications did not initially include a warning regarding side effects involving cardiovascular events (such as heart attack, stroke, etc.) but such a warning was added in 2002 for Vioxx and in 2004 for Bextra. Nothing was specifically mentioned about risk of aneurysms of any type.
Not knowing the details of your grandfather’s situation and history, and not being in the medical profession, it’s difficult to say whether the two drugs may have played any role at all in the causation of his iliac aneurysm, but it is certainly worth checking into. Since aneurysms are typically genetic, perhaps there is no connection, but there may exist the possibility that either or both of these drugs hastened the progression of the condition. Therefore, speak to an attorney who specializes in product liability cases who will likely consult with a medical expert in the field of cardiovascular medicine. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FREE CASE REVIEW |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
State Law Center
|
Legal Resource Directory
|
Legal Articles
|
Insurance Advice and Quotes
|
FreeAdvice Answers
|
Community Forums
