Heparin has been an aid used in medicine to treat a variety of aliments for many years. Yet, in 2007, heparin has been related to harm contributing to 62 deaths and hundreds of additional potential legal cases citing death or severe reactions to heparin through contaminated lots produced in Chinese factories  As Doug Monsour, Attorney at Law of  Longview, Texas  explains, “Drugs like heparin do have side effects that can be very harmful to people. The catastrophic injuries that can result from drugs like heparin are devastating.” On June 1, 2008, the number jumped to 86 deaths in the United States associated with Heparin use, according to the FDA’s month-by-month adverse Heparin event reports .-1-The issues surrounding heparin have been linked to one of three manufacturers that produce Heparin- Baxter, International. The drug has been used as an anticoagulant to prevent deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism as well as treat atrial fibrillation, peripheral arterial embolism, and thromboembolic disorder.

Heparin Recall: Prompting Law Suits Due to Anabolic Shock or Severe Allergic Reactions

The Baxter- Heparin recall was fueled in late February 2008 after a St. Louis doctor in January filed a report with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mentioning Heparin contamination witnessed in allergic reactions of two children having kidney dialysis. Then there were 448 more reports submitted describing similar allergic reactions in adults on dialysis. The FDA has identified 12 Chinese companies that have produced contaminated Heparin. On January 17, 2008, the FDA and the Chinese authorities finally made inspection of the Changzhou factory in China. This factory began shipping Heparin to Baxter International in 2004 and was never inspected until late February 2008. Inspectors found unclean tanks and untraced raw materials received from mystery vendors, knowing that Heparin is derived from the mucous membranes of the intestines of slaughtered pigs, which often takes place in unsanitary workshops in China. The contamination itself is suspected to originate from a chemically altered form of chondroitin sulfate resulting from unsanitary production conditions. Baxter received over 350 adverse reaction reports from mid December to end of January 2008The adverse reactions of heparin that have been documented include: Severe Nausea, and Vomiting, Abdominal pain, Burning sensation, Chest pain,  Excessive Sweating,  Breathing Difficulty,  Low Blood Pressure,  Death,  Diarrhea, Dizziness, Dyspepsia, Erythema, Flushing, Headache, Hypotension, Increased lacrimation, Loss of consciousness.

Heparin Patient Alert

As Joseph H Saunders, Attorney at Law, of Pinellas Park, Florida explains, “Because heparin is usually prescribed for an emergent condition, the most difficult factor to uncover in lawsuits is the true causation for injury. As personal injury attorneys, we must find anabolic shock or allergic reaction in hospital documentation as we know the contamination led to anabolic shock and allergic reactions.” Heparin is most often taken an emergent basis through injection on or may be less emergency related by month. Should you experience any side effects, your doctor may recommend testing and treatment such as Platelets using Automated Cell Count, Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia and Serotonin Release assay.

Inquire with your doctor about the requirement to avoid certain drugs that may increase bleeding such as Naproxin in Aleve, Aspirin and Ibuprophen.

Call your doctor for a new prescription if the medication has changed colors or has any particles in it.

Do not stop using the heparin until your doctor tells you to.

Heparin must not be injected into a muscle.

Use each needle and syringe only one time.

You need to test your blood on a regular basis.

Contact your doctor for instructions if you miss a dose of heparin.

Seek emergency medical attention in case of overdose signified by continuous bleeding, bruising, nosebleeds, or blood in your urine.

Store heparin at room temperature away from heat and moisture.

It is advised that any person receiving heparin seek out the advice of their doctor about continuing the use of heparin and report any adverse reactions immediately to your doctor. Personal injury attorneys that focus on heparin can also assist victims from heparin and can help assess the best means to get the word out about your adverse effect from heparin. Baxter is a trademark of Baxter International Inc. -1- 2-16-08 New York Times Article