Call us Toll Free at 1-866-242-0905 or
Click here to begin your FREE Case Review
New reports on the dangers of drug-coated stents - Professional Stent Lawyers
On November 30, 2006, the American Journal of Medicine published the findings of a study conducted by the Cleveland Clinic Cardiovascular Coordinating Center that concluded patients with a sirolimus-eluting coronary stent like the Johnson & Johnson Cypher Stent are four to five times more likely to suffer from late thrombosis, or blood clot formation, as are people with standard bare metal stents. Blood clots can lead to potentially fatal Cypher sub acute thrombosis strokes, heart attacks, and pulmonary embolisms.
The Food and Drug Administration will hold additional hearings about the potential dangers of drug-emitting stents beginning December 11th in order to determine if there are further risks yet unknown, and make a recommendation about the future of these allegedly dangerous defective medical devices.
If you or someone you know with a drug-emitting coronary stent, consult your medical professional immediately. You may not be at risk, but better safe than sorry. If you have been a victim of the side effects of these devices, you need to call a stent lawyer immediately.
Johnson & Johnson Cypher Stent
The Food and Drug Administration notified the medical device manufacturer Johnson & Johnson in November 2003 to dangers of the medication-infused angioplasty Cypher Stent. Reports from medical experts around the country indicate that the
What are Cypher Stents used for?
Doctors use Cypher Stents to maintain rigidity in blood vessels after an angioplasty clears plaques and other material from a clogged artery. Angioplasties are not perfect procedures, and somewhere between 15-30% of the arteries suffer further blockage after doctors remove the balloon. Johnson & Johnson developed the Cypher Stent to reduce the frequency of post-surgical complications and re-blockage by coating the metal exterior with a novel and revolutionary drug that promotes arterial health and proper circulation.
What are the dangers of Cypher Stents?
The Cypher Stent was the subject of two FDA warning letters in 2003 because the device caused a number of serious blood clots in a number of angioplasty patients. According to recent estimates there are 290 reported cases of cardiovascular problems such as:
- Blood Clot
- Thrombosis
- Subacute stent thrombosis
in angioplasty patients. Most of these complaints occur within 30 days after the procedure. The FDA also suspects that the medication on the Cypher Stent could possibly be responsible for potentially life-threatening complication that required immediate surgery in some cases.
In addition the potential risks of stent failure and blood clots, the Food and Drug Administration identified almost 50 reports of serious injury and death due to several potential hypersensitive reactions. Some of these symptoms include:
- Respiratory difficulties
- Blood pressure irregularities
- Rash
- Itching
- Hives
- Fever
- Flu-like conditions
- Pain
If the Johnson & Johnson Cypher Stent caused you to suffer injury or loss, you could be entitled to financial restitution depending on your case. You must act quickly, for statutes of limitations laws give you only so much time to take legal action. Consult our stent lawyers to understand your rights and how you can get the justice you deserve today.
Updated 1/4/07
