When given at high doses, Aranesp side effects have been found to increase the risk of serious and potentially fatal injuries.
Aranesp (generic name darbepoetin alfa) is an injection approved for treatment of anemia in patients with kidney failure and cancer patients where anemia is caused by chemotherapy. Studies have found that serious injuries could result from the use of the medication, especially when given aggressively at higher doses.
Aranesp side effects could increase the risk the following injuries:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Blood Clots
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Rapid Growth of Pre-Existing Tumors
- Death
>>INFORMATION: Aranesp Anemia Injection Side Effects
ARANESP INJECTIONS
Aranesp was approved for use in the United States on September 17, 2001, and it is manufactured and marketed by Amgen, Inc. The injection is one of three anemia drugs in a class known as erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA), which are widely used following dialysis and chemotherapy. The other two drugs in this class are Epogen and Procrit, and together they have annual sales of $10 billion. Aranesp is the best selling erythropoietin, accounting for approximately $4 billion in sales each year.
All ESA anemia drugs work the same way, so Epogen side effects and Procrit side effects have also been linked to the same serious injuries. In March 2007, the FDA required that the makers of these injections add a warning to the label regarding the dangers associated with their use at high doses.
