Avelox Lawyers Reviewing Cases for Aortic Aneurysm, Aortic Dissection and Peripheral Neuropathy

The product liability lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing potential lawsuits for users of Avelox and other fluoroquinolone antibiotics who have suffered severe and debilitating injuries. It appears that inadequate warnings were provided for users and the medical community about the potential side effects of Avelox.

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Saiontz & Kirk, PA, Attorneys & Lawyers, Baltimore, MD

Financial compensation and settlements may be available through an Avelox lawsuit for individuals who have been diagnosed with any of the following problems:

The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. provide free consultations and claim evaluations for individuals and families nationwide. Similar claims are being reviewed for users of other fluoroquinolone antibiotics, including Levaquin lawsuits and Cipro lawsuits.

Contact Saiontz & Kirk to find out if you have an Avelox case.

Avelox Aortic Dissection and Aortic Aneurysm Problems

Avelox (moxifloxacin) was developed by Bayer and is co-marketed with Merck. It is part of a class of antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones, which also includes Cipro, Levaquin and other popular drugs.

For years, Avelox and other fluoroquinolones have been known to increase the risk of tendon ruptures and retinal detachment, due to the degradation of collagen and other connective tissue. These same Avelox side effects may cause damage to the aorta, which is the main artery in the human body, providing blood from the heart.

Concerns about the Avelox aortic aneurysm and dissection risks was first highlighted in a study published in the medical journal JAMA Internal Medicine in October 2015, which found that users of fluoroquinolone antibiotics may face a two-fold increased risk of suffering these severe and potentially life-threatening injuries.

In March 2018, another study published in The BMJ appeared to confirm the risk, finding that users were more likely to suffer acute aortic disease, which may include:

  • Aortic Aneurysm from Avelox occurs when the walls of the aorta weaken, resulting in an abnormal bulge as the pressure in the aorta causes the weakened area to balloon outward.
  • Aortic Dissection from Avelox occurs when the interior layers of the aorta weaken, resulting in tearing inside the aorta.

It appears that Bayer and Merck knew or should have known about the link between Avelox and aortic dissections or aneurysms, yet chose to withhold information from consumers and the medical community.

If Avelox warnings had been provided about the risk of individuals suffering an aortic aneurysm or dissection, users and physicians may have been aware of the importance of monitoring for symptoms, such as:

  • Severe upper chest pain
  • Severe back pain
  • Trouble speaking
  • Differing pulses in the arms
  • Shortness of breath
  • Loss of consciousness

Many individuals also may have avoided a severe injury or wrongful death if doctors had been aware of the Avelox risks, as a different antibiotic may have been prescribed to treat many of the common infections the drug is typically prescribed to treat.

Avelox Peripheral Neuropathy Cases

The Avelox lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are also reviewing potential peripheral neuropathy lawsuits for permanent nerve damage that may have been caused by the antibiotic.

Peripheral neuropathy involves damage to the peripheral nervous system, which can cause weakness, numbness and severe pain. It often starts as numbness or pain in the hands and feet, but may continue to move up the limbs, and is severely debilitating in many cases.

The link between Avelox and peripheral neuropathy has been known for years, yet the manufacturers of fluoroquinolone antibiotics provided false and misleading information about the problems to millions of Americans.

Bayer was aware of the Avelox nerve damage side effects before they ever introduced this antibiotic in 1999, as the first published reports involving fluoroquinolone peripheral neuropathy was in 1992, when doctors wrote a letter to the medical journal The Lancet outlining cases among users of earlier members of this class, including Cipro and Levaquin.

This was followed by a study published in 1996, which linked to the antibiotics to peripheral neuropathy problems in dozens of patients. Additional studies followed in 2001 and 2003, but the first warnings about nerve problems were not added to Avelox and other similar antibiotics until 2004.

In a drug safety communication (PDF) issued in August 2013, the FDA warned that peripheral neuropathy may arise at any time during treatment with Avelox and may last for months, or even years. Prior Avelox warnings misleadingly suggested that the nerve damage was rare and resolved when the drug was discontinued.

Potential Avelox peripheral neuropathy lawsuits are being pursued as a result of the decision to withhold information about the risk that nerve damage caused by the drug may be permanent and continue long after the antibiotic is no longer used.

Avelox Class Action Lawyers

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics like Avelox have been plagued with problems for decades. In 1992, the drug Omniflox was recalled due to kidney, low blood sugar, and anemia risks, after it had only been on the market for six months. That was followed by recalls of Trovan in 1999 for liver toxicity, and Raxar the same year for heart rhythm problems. The fluoroquinolone Zagam was recalled for the same heart rhythm issues in 2001. Most recently, the antibiotic Tequin was recalled in May 2006 for severe blood sugar reactions.

Although Avelox, Levaquin and Cipro have been commonly used in recent years to treat a number of different types of infections, the medical community is only now beginning to realize that the antibiotics may pose an unreasonable risk for many users.

In May 2016, the FDA issued an Avelox warning, indicating that the drug is too dangerous to be used for many common types of infections. This statement was made after an outside panel of expert advisors reviewed detailed information about the risk of problems associated with fluoroquinolone antibiotics.

It appears that Bayer and Merck placed their desire for profits before the safety of consumers by introducing and aggressively marketing Avelox without adequately researching the potential side effects or warning about the risk.

The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing potential Avelox class action lawsuits and individual injury claims for individuals who have suffered an aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection or been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy.

All lawsuits are being handled by our law firm under a contingency fee agreement, where clients pay no out-of-pocket expenses. Any attorney fees or expenses incurred in the handling of the lawsuit are contingent upon a successful Avelox settlement or other recovery. To review a potential claim for yourself or a family member, request a free consultation and Avelox case evaluation.

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