According to the Associated Press, basketball star Chris Bosh has started taking blood thinners to treat a blood clot in his leg, for the second time.
Even if you don’t follow basketball, you probably recognize him from TV ads for Xarelto (rivaroxaban). As discussed in the ads, Xarelto is typically prescribed to lower the risk of stroke caused by blood clot in people with atrial fibrillation (AFib). It is also used to prevent blood clots in the legs which can move to the lungs, which is what happened to Bosh a year ago and prompted his first round of blood thinning medication.
Xarelto Could Keep Bosh out of the Game
We don’t know for sure which blood-thinning drug Bosh is taking this year, but it reported that he was taking Xarelto last year. Patients taking blood thinners are advised not to participate in contact sports because of the risk of bleeding. He missed the last 30 games of last season due to his medical issues. It is uncertain whether he will be able to return to play before this year’s season ends.
If Bosh were to fall or take a blow to the head from another player while taking Xarelto or a similar drug, it could cause a fatal bleeding event. The problem is that if bleeding starts, doctors may not be able to stop it in time to save his life or prevent permanent harm because there is no reversal agent for drugs like Xarelto.
In the ads, featuring Bosh, Brian Vickers, Arnold Palmer, and Kevin Nealon, they discuss the fact that Xarelto is more convenient to use than warfarin and carries no dietary restrictions, but they fail to mention that it carries the extra risk if bleeding occurs. Warfarin can be reversed with Vitamin K.
If you have been harmed by Xarelto or lost a loved one to Xarelto side effects, please talk to an experienced defective drug attorney right away to learn more about your rights.
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