Researchers studying the effects of Xarelto and aspirin use post surgery found no notable difference in post-surgical bleeds between the two. In fact, the only difference between Xarelto and aspirin is cost. Consumers pay around $425 a month for Xarelto compared to a dollar for aspirin.
About Xarelto
Anticoagulants, commonly known as blood-thinners, work by stopping the blood from clotting. This helps prevent blood clots in people suffering from conditions such as atrial fibrillation. Due to the risk of unstoppable bleeding, researchers developed an “antidote” to stop this effect in case of emergency for warfarin users, the most popular anticoagulant for decades.
However, Xarelto users aren’t so lucky. There is no antidote to reverse the anti-clotting effect of Xarelto in an emergency. This means doctors and surgeons may have limited options if bleeding becomes uncontrollable. What could have been a treatable injury for most people, such as a minor cut or surgical incision, can be a fatal one for Xarelto users.
Some of the potentially fatal conditions Xarelto users have suffered include gastrointestinal bleeding, brain hemorrhaging, kidney bleeding, rectal bleeding, and other internal bleeding events.
EPCAT II Study
The EPCAT II study compared Xarelto and aspirin use after hip or knee replacement surgery. Medical professionals gave patients either aspirin or Xarelto as an anti-clotting treatment for 14 days after knee surgery and for 35 days after hip surgery. Researchers followed volunteers for 90 days looking for signs of venous thromboemboli (VTE) or other bleeding events. VTEs occurred in less than 1 % of all patients. Eleven aspirin recipients experienced VTE versus 12 who took Xarelto. Only one death from a lung clot occurred during the study. It was an aspirin recipient, and the clot struck 17 days after aspirin therapy ended.
Previous Aspirin & Xarelto Study
In 2017, a previous study found that Xarelto is just as effective as aspirin at preventing strokes. The NAVIGATE ESUS trial included 7,214 patients from 31 countries. Researchers randomly gave patients once daily either 15 mg of rivaroxaban or 100 mg of aspirin. There was not a difference in stroke prevention from those taking either Xarelto or aspirin.This study was a failed attempt to push the hazardous drug on a new group of people, stroke victims. It is unclear if the manufactures will continue the study at a later date.
Xarelto Lawsuits
Thousands of injured people are demanding justice from Bayer and Janssen Pharmaceuticals. They feel that the company failed to provide adequate warnings about the risks of their drug. They didn’t have the chance to make an educated decision based on their health.
The Michael Brady Lynch Firm is still accepting cases in all 50 states. If you or a loved one experienced a serious bleeding event after taking Xarelto, let our decades of experience help you. We know exactly how to go up against large companies and get you the justice you deserve. Contact us today to speak with a knowledgeable attorney for a free consultation.