Blood clots can occur after some surgeries, when people travel long distances, or sit in cramped positions for long periods of time. It can also be caused by medications, especially birth control pills. Some oral contraceptives may carry a greater risk for blood clots. For example, Bayer, maker of the popular birth control pill Yaz, is facing more than 2,000 lawsuits from women who say the pills caused them to suffer blood clots that in some cases led to serious complications such as pulmonary embolism, heart attack and stroke.

At least 100,000 cases of pulmonary embolism occur in the United States each year, and it is the third most common cause of death in hospitalized patients. If left untreated, about one-third of victims die, which is why the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute urges the public to know the symptoms of pulmonary embolism. The most common ones include shortness of breath when not exerting yourself, chest pain and coughing up blood.

Often, the only symptoms are those associated with DVT, such as swelling of the leg or along the vein of the leg, pain or tenderness in the leg, a feeling of increased warmth in the area of the leg that is swollen and tender, and red or discolored skin on the affected leg. Other symptoms include excessive sweating, clammy or bluish skin, light-headedness, fast or irregular heartbeat, and weak pulse.

These symptoms should be considered serious, and anyone who experiences these should seek medical attention immediately.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Tennis star’s blood clot scare helps raise awareness

There are more than 2,000 women across the country who would tell Beth to get off the pills immediately. The women, like Gina Miller, suffered serious health problems such as heart attacks, strokes, blood clots and gallbladder problems after taking Yasmin and its similar oral contraceptive, Yaz. They have now filed suit against Bayer, makers of Yasmin and Yaz, claiming they were not adequately warned that the birth control pills they were taking could cause life-threatening health problems and death.

Bayer has done little to reassure women, arguing its pills are no more dangerous than other birth control pills. Some studies, however, suggest that there is a higher incidence of adverse events with Yasmin and Yaz than other oral contraceptives. The pills, and their generic equivalents, are the only ones sold in the U.S. that contain drospirenone, a diuretic, that can cause an increase in potassium levels in the blood, which can lead to heart rhythm disturbances that can cause blood clots and lead to sudden cardiac death, pulmonary embolism, DVT and other serious problems.

Doctors caution patients not to suddenly stop taking any medications, including birth control pills. However, the serious side effects associated with Yasmin would suggest women like Beth should definitely talk to their doctor as soon as possible about how to safely make a switch.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › ‘Should I still be on Yasmin?’

DVT is a common disorder, but it is highly preventable, says Gary Raskob, Ph.D. and lead author of the AJPM Paper. “That’s why spreading the word about who’s at risk and the steps one can take to prevent these dangerous clots is so important,” he said.

The paper recommends strengthening surveillance of DVT and PE, and increasing public awareness of risk factors through a national campaign. For example, recent studies have identified that people who travel by airplane are at three times greater risk of developing DVT or PE. The campaign would advise air travelers to reduce their risk by staying active on the plane and staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water and avoiding alcoholic beverages.

Other risk factors include surgery or trauma, hospitalization for medical illness, cancer, obesity, smoking, pregnancy, age over 60, and a family history of blood clots. Oral contraceptives can also put users at greater risk of blood clots. To date, 59 deaths have been linked to the popular birth control pill, Yaz, also known as Yasmin or Ocella.

Symptoms of DVT include sudden pain, swelling and tenderness. PE symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, and sweating. For more information about these blood clotting disorders, visit the American Society of Hematology Web site at www.BloodTheVitalConnection.org.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Medical community wants to raise awareness of preventable blood clots

Yaz incorporates a unique progestin, drospirenone, with ethinyl estradiol, a more common ingredient used in birth control drugs. Many women who have been injured after starting a Yaz regimen allege that the drug poses a multitude of serious risks, which Bayer downplayed in its Yaz marketing campaigns.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration admonished Bayer in October 2008, citing the company for “significant deviations” in its promotion of Yaz. The complaint largely centered on the understatement of the drug’s risks and the overstatement of its benefits, including the treatment of conditions for which the drug was not approved. The misleading marketing campaign is frequently cited in lawsuits brought against Bayer by former Yaz users.

Some of the most serious side effects associated with Yaz include stroke, heart arrhythmia cardiac arrest, deep vein thrombosis and other forms of blood clotting, pulmonary embolism, gallbladder disease, kidney damage or failure, and sudden death.

Judge Herndon told Southwestern Illinois’ Belleville News-Democrat that he may also conduct bellwether trials, a cluster of cases selected because they reflect the charges and allegations of the other lawsuits. The outcome of bellwether trials helps establish guidelines for other cases.

When a significant number of similar lawsuits, such as those being brought against Bayer over Yaz injuries, accumulate in federal courts, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation normally moves to consolidate them in one U.S. District Court to avoid redundant efforts and inconsistent pre-trial rulings. The dynamics of these representative trials will then be considered in the evaluation of other cases.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Southern Illinois district court to handle Yaz lawsuits

The plaintiff, who resides in Belpre, Ohio, had been taking Yaz for about a year when she developed deep vein thrombosis in her leg. She spent three days in the hospital, where like many other women who use Yaz, she was put on a regimen of blood thinners to dissolve the clot and reduce the swelling in her leg.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a very serious type of blood clot that can lead to serious complications and death if not treated properly. Clots that form a DVT can become dislodged, traveling through the bloodstream to the lungs and causing a pulmonary embolism, resulting in permanent damage to the lung. DVT can also cause stroke, cardiac arrest, and other potentially deadly conditions.

Yaz contains drospirenone, a synthetic progestin used in Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella, which is a generic form of Yasmin. Drospirenone has been shown to increase potassium levels in some women who take the drug, which can lead to DVT and affect the function of several organs, including the heart.

The Ohio plaintiff’s lawsuit was filed in New Jersey Superior Court. The suit alleges that the plaintiff’s injuries were the result of Bayer’s failure to adequately warn consumers of the drug’s risks. Her attorney claims that Bayer knew Yaz to be more dangerous than other birth-control pills, but chose to downplay the drug’s hazards.

SOURCE: Yaz Lawsuit › Ohio mother sues Bayer, alleging Yaz caused blood clot