Lemtrada Patients Face Possibility Of Living With The After-Effects of a Stroke

Lemtrada Stroke Lawsuit News

The threat of having a spontaneous stroke and being rendered paralyzed is a real side effect of taking anti-multiple sclerosis drug Lemtrada

Monday, July 6, 2020 - The US Food and Drug Administration warns those about to take Lemtrada that they may are at risk for the rare but potentially life-threatening tears in the blood vessels in the lining of arteries in the head and neck (arterial dissection) from using relapses-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) drug Lemtrada (alemtuzumab). The FDA tells readers that signs one should look for that would indicate that they are having a stroke are, "sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arms, or legs, especially if it occurs on only one side of the body, and sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech." The FDA has forced Lemtrada drug manufacturers to place new and clearer warnings in the drug's prescription information and each patient must be given a Medication Guide. The potential for causing a stroke must now be included in Lemtrada's Boxed warning, a designation reserved only for drugs that in and of themselves could cause death when taken as directed. A stroke usually occurs within 24-48 hours of a Lemtrada infusion leading to permanent disability and even death, according to the FDA. Lemtrada stroke lawyers have vast experience handling medical litigation and offer a free consultation before filing a claim.

As of late 2019, doctors that infusion their patients with Lemtrada must do so in a hospital with emergency room medical equipment and personnel at the ready to treat a stoke. Doctors must monitor their patients and watch for signs like sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arms, or legs, confusion, difficulty in speaking or understanding speech, eyesight difficulties, dizziness, and loss of coordination or the inability to walk, and finally neck and head pain. Since Lemtrada's FDA approval in 2014, 13 cases of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke or arterial dissection have been reported to the agency from those using or administering Lemtrada and the agency fears that there could be many more. 12 of the 13 occurred within 24 hours of receiving Lemtrada. There is even reason to believe that the brain can heal itself after a stoke with the proper set of stimuli.

Strokes occur in varying degrees, and no two are the same. Strokes are the result of insufficient blood supply to the brain due to a clot or tear in a blood vessel leading to the brain. "A stroke is one of the leading causes of death, taking 140,000 American lives each year. But it is also one of the leading causes of disability because more than 80% of people who have a stroke survive," according to UCI Health. Stroke victim doctors urge that patients begin rehabilitation as soon as possible after being admitted to the hospital and are generally optimistic that some patients "will recover much of their lost physical and cognitive function. Maximum recovery from a stroke occurs in the first three to six months, so treatment should begin as soon as possible - usually well before a patient leaves the hospital," UCI told readers.

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OnderLaw, LLC is a St. Louis personal injury law firm handling serious injury and death claims across the country. Its mission is the pursuit of justice, no matter how complex the case or strenuous the effort. The Onder Law Firm has represented clients throughout the United States in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation such as Pradaxa, Lexapro and Yasmin/Yaz, where the firm's attorneys held significant leadership roles in the litigation, as well as Actos, DePuy, Risperdal and others. The Onder Law Firm has won more than $300 million in four talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits in St. Louis. Law firms throughout the nation often seek its experience and expertise on complex litigation.