Over One Thousand Testosterone Medication Lawsuits Filed
Over one thousand testosterone-related lawsuits have been filed across the United States by men who have taken this type of medication and suffered from heart attacks and other cardiovascular injuries. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began investigating these claims as far back as February last year after two separate studies found a causal link between testosterone drugs and cardiovascular problems.
Heart Attack Studies
Some of the most common testosterone drugs include Androgel, Axiron, and Fortesta. They are supposed to be prescribed to men with low testosterone levels that is caused by a serious medical condition. However, an overwhelming amount of the 2.3 million prescriptions for these drugs in 2013 were given to treat low testosterone levels caused by aging, which is not a prescribed or approved use of the low testosterone (low-T) drugs.
A 2014 study published by PLOS One found that the risk of heart attack doubled during the first three months of testosterone use in men over the age of 65 years old as well as for younger men with a history of heart disease. The study involved 55,000 men who were prescribed testosterone in the United States. Within the first 90 days of therapy, one in 167 men over the age of 65 years old had a heart attack, and one in 100 under the age of 65 years with a pre-existing heart disease had one, as well.
A previous study found that there was at least a 30 percent increased risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke after beginning a testosterone medication regimen. Published in 2010, this study was smaller but found that “the risk of a cardiovascular-related adverse event remained significantly greater among men in the testosterone group than among men in the placebo group.” Another study that year was canceled because of the unexpected cardiovascular risk found in association with the low testosterone drugs.
Testosterone Drug Lawsuits
In March this year, the FDA issued a statement that requires manufacturers of low-T testosterone medications to update their warning labels to include the risk of heart attack or stroke. Manufacturers must also clearly state the intended use on the labels, as well. Unfortunately, these warnings come much too late for thousands of men that suffered a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular injury because of low-T drugs.
So far, more than 1,500 men have filed individual lawsuits against the manufacturers of these low testosterone medications because of the lack of warning regarding the cardiovascular risks of these drugs. Compensation is being requested for heart attacks, strokes, other cardiovascular injuries, and death that has resulted from men taking low-T drugs.
Our Attorneys Can Help
If you or someone that you know has taken testosterone medications and suffered a heart attack because of it, our experienced medical malpractice attorneys are here to help. Call or contact our West Palm Beach attorneys at Gary Roberts & Associates today for a private and free review of your claims.
