Cardiovascular Events

Cardiovascular Injury Lawsuits

Investigating drug-related cardiac events & injury

Cardiovascular injuries involving the heart, arteries, and circulatory system can be devastating, often leading to lifelong complications or even wrongful death. While some heart-related conditions occur naturally, many are caused or worsened by negligence, defective products, or unsafe working environments. In these situations, victims and their families may have the right to pursue a cardiovascular injury lawsuit.

Over the past ten years, several notable mass tort pharmaceutical claims have involved allegations that widely used medications cause cardiovascular events. Recent examples include the drugs Avandia, Vioxx, and Yaz (Yasmin).

Currently, there are hundreds of medication injury lawsuits pending involving Testosterone Replacement Therapy. There are allegations that the medication causes the development of cardiovascular events at higher rates than the pharmaceutical companies had previously warned.

More and more medical literature is suggesting medications aimed to improve a quality of life may put healthy patients at risk of cardiac events. The American Heart Association has released statements that warn many prescription and over-the-counter drugs can cause or worsen heart failure.

Joe Lyon is a highly-rated and experienced Cincinnati Personal Injury Lawyer who has represented numerous individuals in serious cardiac incident cases in various types of law, ranging from Pharmaceutical Liability, Medical Malpractice, and Catastrophic Injury.

Cardiovascular Thrombotic Injury

Cardiovascular events refer to any event that may cause damage to the heart. Some common events include the following:

• Deep vein thrombosis
• Heart attack
• Pulmonary embolism
• Stroke
• Myocardial infarction
• Angioplasty Error
• Aortic Dissection

Cardiovascular Medication Injury

• Facial Palsy
• Heart Damage
• Arterial Damage
• Paralysis
• Wrongful Death

Common Causes of Cardiovascular Injuries

Cardiovascular injuries may occur due to a variety of preventable circumstances, including:

• Medical Malpractice: Misdiagnosis of a heart attack, surgical errors, or prescribing medications that increase cardiac risk.
• Defective Drugs or Devices: Certain pharmaceuticals and medical devices have been linked to strokes, heart attacks, or blood clots.
• Toxic Exposure: Workplace exposure to chemicals, heavy metals, or carbon monoxide can damage cardiovascular health.
• Workplace Stress or Conditions: High physical strain, extreme temperatures, and poor safety protocols can contribute to heart-related injuries.
• Severe Accidents: Trauma from car crashes or industrial accidents may cause cardiac contusions, arrhythmias, or other circulatory damage.

Compensation for Victims

Cardiovascular injury lawsuits may result in compensation for:

• Hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and medication costs
• Future medical care for chronic heart conditions
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Pain and suffering, including anxiety and reduced quality of life
• Wrongful death damages for surviving family members

Medical science has long identified contributing factors to cardiac events. Some are more natural, and other causes, such as damaging medications, have only recently been associated with heart issues. The most commonly known triggers are listed below:

• Medication
• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Inherited genetic clotting traits
• Obesity
• Alcohol Abuse
• Smoking
• Unnecessary Vascular Stents

Antibiotics Linked to Aortic Dissection

Fluoroquinolones have been linked to higher than average rates of Aortic Dissection and other cardiac events in a varied and growing body of medical literature. Studies by the American Medical Association, and numerous medical journals, show a link between the use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics create a substantial risk for drug-induced aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections. The 2015 studies identify an association between these drugs and potentially fatal cardiac injuries. Popular fluoroquinolones include:

•    Moxifloxicin
•    Cipro (ciprofloxacin)
•    Levaquin (levofloxacin)
•    Noroxin (norfloxacin)

Testosterone Cardiac Injury Lawsuits

Based on a review in 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that there is a possible increased cardiovascular risk associated with testosterone use. Based on the findings, the FDA also required the drug manufactures to supplement the warning labels to include additional testosterone therapy side effects.

Therapy with testosterone products has been suspected of contributing to a high risk of heart attacks, pulmonary embolus, deep vein thrombosis, and strokes. Specific products named include the following drugs:

•    Androgel
•    Fortesta
•    Depo Testosterone
•    Axiron
•    Androderm

Uloric Cardiac Injury Lawsuits

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has added a Boxed Warning to Uloric (febuxostat), warning of an increased risk of cardiovascular death for gout patients. During recent testing, Uloric presented more of a cardiac risk to patients than other alternative gout medications.

Uloric injury may include drug-related cardiac events such as cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, stroke, and unstable angina. FDA officials have urged gout patients currently taking Uloric to seek medical attention if they experience cardiac injury symptoms.

Drug Related Cardiovascular Events

The question of causation in toxic tort and medication injury cases is always complex and requires expert testimony that is based in reliable data and facts, reliable scientific methodology, and application of the facts to the methodology.  Credible medical literature and foundational case specific facts are paramount.

Under Ohio law and the law of many states, it is not necessary that the Plaintiff prove that the medication was the sole cause of the injury. In toxic tort cases, Ohio Courts have applied the “substantial contributing factor” test on causation.

In layman’s terms, risk factors do not preclude a finding of liability. As long as the medication played a substantial role in causing the cardiovascular event, in combination with the risk factors, the law supports a finding of liability against the drug company for failing to warn about the side effect.

Medication Injury Litigation

There are a host of drugs on the market that can harm a patient more than benefit them. Entire classes of drugs may be risky, including some antibiotics, testosterone therapy treatments, and others. When a drug company fails to warn consumers on the cardiac risks of their product, or downplays the injury risks, they may be liable when injury occurs.

Joe Lyon has successfully represented plaintiffs in Vioxx, Yaz, and Avandia cases.

The Lyon Firm represented numerous women who suffered pulmonary embolus, DVTs, and gallbladder disease following the ingestion of the birth control pill, Yaz and Yasmin.

The Lyon Firm is currently representing Plaintiffs in Testosterone Replacement Therapy lawsuits and making similar arguments on the mechanism of injury between the medication and association with cardiovascular events. For questions related to cardiovascular events and medication, contact The Lyon Firm.