When a drug hits the market that is described as a success -- it is not too often that those in the medical profession turn against use of the drug and boycott it's sale. This is exactly what happened with Trasylol Aprotinin, an injectable drug that controls blood in individuals undergoing heart surgery. Reports of the drugs side effects, which included stroke, heart attack and death, surfaced; and like a rock dropping into a lake, the dangers of Trasylol rippled throughout the medical community.

The New England Journal of Medicine study published in 2006 reported that after being administered Trasylol-Aprotinin, patients risk of renal failure, stroke, death and heart attack increased by 259 percent; at that point the drug had already been manufactured by Bayer AG for 13 years, since 1993.

Singing Its Praises

Ironically, the drug had been mentioned in The Washington Post in early January 2006 as an example of a drug so safe that it no longer required clinical study. The Washington Post article reported that after 12 of 64 clinical trials, Trasylol's positive advantages over other drugs was clear, as the article claimed blood transfusion ins among bypass patients decreased by nearly one-third. Amazingly, the article stated that if researchers had used the positive information from previous studies, they would not have needed to run their own clinical trials.

Tides Turn for Trasylol

The above article ran on January 2, 2006. However, in only 24 days, the tide had turned for Trasylol after the New England Journal of Medicine published its study of over 1,000 heart patients who received injections of Trasylol-Aprotinin. Bayer responded by insisting that the study was inherently flawed, but it came to the attention of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), who warned doctors and patients of the drug's adverse side effects, which include increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and even the deadly brain disease encephalopathy.

Though Bayer has tried to discredit this study and market the drug for other procedures (including hip replacement surgery), lawsuits have begun to flow in as more and more patients have been found who have experienced detrimental side effects from the use of Trasylol-Aprotinin in their heart surgeries.

Have You Suffered Side Effects?

If you or a loved one have suffered side effects, such as stroke, heart attack, encephalopathy or even death, after the use of Trasylol-Aprotinin in a surgical heart procedure, you may be eligible for compensation and damages for your lost wages, medical care, future medical care, loss of consort, and/or emotional and physical pain and suffering. It is advisable to speak with an experienced Trasylol lawyer who can consult on the details of a lawsuit and potential monetary compensation.