Yaz Lawsuit Compensation
Thursday, August 5th, 2010Studies have shown that Ocella, Yasmin and Yaz birth control may increase the risk of blood clots over competing oral contraceptives. Women suffering from serious side effect have looked at their legal options including receiving Yaz lawsuit compensation to help cover unpaid medical bills, lost time from work and permanent injuries. Experts believe this abnormal clotting activity is due to the hormones contained in the pill. These hormones – estrogen and a relatively new synthetic progestin called drospirenone – potentially expose millions of healthy women to dangerous blood clot problems. Some of these women have suffered Yaz deep vein thrombosis (DVT)problems, a condition where clots form within the deep veins (usually in the legs). This can lead to potentially life-threatening health problems.
Treatment for Yaz, Ocella and Yasmin side effects involving blood clots can take several forms to accomplish different goals. For example, your doctor will want to prevent existing clots from becoming larger and new clots from forming. Another priority is to prevent blood clots from traveling to your lungs and triggering a pulmonary embolism. These goals are accomplished by using anticoagulant therapy, filters, compression stockings, and in rare cases, surgery.
Preventing Further Yaz Blood Clot Problems
Anticoagulant drugs, such as warfarin and low-molecular-weight heparin, are used to minimize clotting problems. Warfarin comes in pill form and requires a few days before it takes effect. Heparin is introduced through injection and begins working immediately. Doctors often prescribe both at the same time, but stop heparin after warfarin starts working.
These two anticoagulants work a little differently to achieve similar results. Heparin binds to antithrombin III, a small protein molecule in your blood that incapacitates enzymes needed for clotting. By binding with this molecule, heparin activates it, thus preventing your blood from coagulating.
Warfarin helps to control Yaz problems caused by a DVT by neutralizing vitamin K. It accomplishes this by preventing your liver from using vitamin K to produce proteins required for clotting.
Note that anticoagulants do not dissolve blood clots. Instead, they reduce your blood’s ability to coagulate, either by inactivating clotting enzymes (as with heparin) or preventing their production (as with warfarin). Thrombolytic medications are needed in order to dissolve clots. However, due to the risk of bleeding, they’re seldom used for DVT unless the condition poses an immediate danger.
Avoiding Pulmonary Embolism
The primary goal of treating deep vein thrombosis is to prevent pulmonary embolism. This occurs when clots create an obstruction in your lung arteries, thereby preventing blood from reaching your lung tissue. Most cases of pulmonary embolism are caused by blood clots that travel to the lungs from the leg veins.
Clots can break away from the venous wall and travel with your blood to your vena cava. This is a large vein through which blood flows directly to your heart. Clots that are carried into your heart can migrate further into your pulmonary arteries. If they form a blockage, you will experience a pulmonary embolism.
Your doctor can install a metal filter in your vena cava to prevent migrating blood clots (called emboli) from reaching your heart and lungs. This is often done when anticoagulants and thrombolytics have proven ineffective.
A catheter is inserted in your arm or neck and guided to the vena cava. The filter is delivered through the catheter in a collapsed form. Once it is positioned at the intended site, the filter is opened like an umbrella.
Surgically Removing Deep Venous Clots
In rare instances, a DVT may be so severe that tissue death (i.e. gangrene) becomes a risk. This is a form of deep vein thrombosis known as phlegmasia cerulea dolens. Symptoms include severe pain and swelling, and a bluish color to the skin. The condition is usually characterized by large blood clots that pose an imminent danger of causing a pulmonary embolism.
In these cases, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure called venous thrombectomy. A vascular specialist will insert a catheter in your groin or near your knee. The catheter is guided to the DVT site and shatters the clot before extracting it.
Yaz and deep vein thrombosis is a dangerous condition that can lead to life-threatening circumstances. If you or someone you know has suffered blood clots, DVT, or pulmonary embolism after using this birth control, Yasmin or Ocella, explore your legal rights. Contact one of our Yaz lawsuit compensation attorneys to discuss your options. There is never any charge to speak to an attorney.