Zyprexa leads to DRESS, FDA Warns
First approved in 1996, manufacturer Eli Lilly’s Zyprexa is used as an antipsychotic medicine to treat mental health disorders schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It can decrease hallucinations along with other psychotic symptoms such as disorganized thinking.
Facts about Zyprexa
The FDA just issued an another warning for a drug that has a history of dangerous side effects. The antipsychotic drug, olanzapine, which is also known by brand name Zyprexa can lead to a deadly skin condition called Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS). This condition is so serious that it can progress rapidly. DRESS can trigger internal organ injury, and those afflicted can die. There is NO treatment for DRESS.
Right now, Zyprexa users have reported 23 cases of DRESS to the FDA, however, since these reports are submitted voluntarily to the FDA there is most likely to be more. DRESS starts as a rash that spreads and includes symptoms such as fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a swollen face. This leads to organ injury and death. The FDA said the mortality rate for DRESS is 10%.
This isn’t the first time Eli Lilly has come under fire for its Zyprexa line of medications. Over the last three years, controlled studies have been showing that Zyprexa not only causes DRESS, but also typical weight gain, diabetes, and even high cholesterol. Weight gain is an average of two pounds a week and can exceed 30 lbs. in the first year. Zyprexa and eight other medications in the drug product line bring a 4.2-increased risk of the user developing diabetes. The other competitor on the market only carries a 1.6-increased risk. Researchers at Oregon State Hospital discovered that Zyprexa users experienced a cholesterol point increase of 31.
Your Rights
When manufacturers produce unsafe products that create pain and suffering, you deserve compensation. Although no amount of money will change the fact that you have suffered a serious injury as a result of manufacturer irresponsibility, compensation will help offset your current and future medical costs, as well as provide for the pain and suffering you have experienced. By filing, you may also help protect other people and their families from needless distress.
Zyprexa Risks
• DRESS – Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms
• Weight Gain
• Onset Diabetes
Contact Us
If you or someone you know has suffered an adverse event after using Zyprexa, you may be eligible for compensation to ease the financial and emotional burdens you are experiencing. Contact us today to set up a free consultation, during which we will listen to your story, answer any questions you may have and discuss your legal rights and options. If you choose us to represent you, we will work with you on a contingency fee basis; this means you pay nothing until we have secured compensation for you, either through a jury verdict or settlement.
