Xarelto (rivaroxaban) is a prescription, anticoagulant medication taken to reduce the risk of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis after hip or knee replacement. Xarelto can also be (DVT) used by patients to reduce the risk of stroke associated with atrial fibrillation (a-fib).
Despite requests from the manufacturer to extend the use of Xarelto in the United States for other health issues, such as acute coronary syndrome (ACS), the FDA has denied this request and insists the manufacturer continue to research potential safety concerns.
Xarelto was developed jointly by Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. and Bayer HealthCare, but it is currently marketed by Janssen Pharmaceutica, a Belgian company and a division of Johnson & Johnson. Xarelto is expected to have record sales this year exceeding $1 billion.
How It Works
The ability of the blood to clot is critical to the healing process.Some patients, however, can develop unhealthy blood clots after surgery or when they are forced to be sedentary for an extended period of time. If the thrombus develops and lodges in a blood vessel, it may create a barrier which blocks the natural flow of blood to critical organs.
Xarelto has shown to be an effective treatment option for some patients due to its ability to reduce the formation of deadly blood clots.
Concerns About Xarelto
Minor side-effects of taking Xarelto include increased bleeding and bruising. More severe side-effects include blood in the urine, coughing up blood, and bleeding in the intestines and the stomach.
Malpractice claims against the manufacturer of Xarelto were first filed in 2013 by a woman who allegedly suffered severe gastrointestinal bleeding after taking the drug. In her medical malpractice lawsuit, the woman alleged the company did not do enough to notify her and other Xarelto users of the increased risk of bleeding and the other more dangerous side-effects of Xarelto use.