Prescription drugs can save lives. But they can also be dangerous. Along with the life-saving effects of these drugs, they also come with potentially harmful side effects. And, in some cases, pharmaceutical companies can be liable for injuries from side effects of prescription drugs.
Here’s a quick rundown of the five most dangerous prescription drugs, their medical potential, and their potential side effects:
- Prednisone: Or cortisone, this corticosteroid can treat everything from asthma to allergies, but only in short-term doses. Prednisone weakens the body’s ability to fight infection and extended use of prednisone can cause hypertension, osteoporosis, peptic ulcers, diabetes, cataracts, and intestinal bleeding.
- Statins: Statin drugs like Lescol, Mevacor, Pravacholcan, Zocor and are prescribed to reduce cholesterol but also have known side effects of liver toxicity, muscle inflammation, gastrointestinal symptoms, and can lower the body’s ability to heal and form other necessary chemicals.
- Methotrexate: This and other chemotherapy drugs are designed to kill cancer cells, which is a very good thing. But they also kill perfectly healthy cells as well, which is not so good. Users can suffer fetal death and congenital abnormalities, kidney and liver toxicity, lung disease, and a suppressed immune system.
- Coumadin or Warfarin: Blood thinners can prevent heart attacks and strokes. The problem is that these drugs weaken blood vessels and cells, and thinned blood does not clot as easily, sp small cuts and scratches can lead to excessive bleeding.
- SGLT2 Inhibitors: These little-known drugs are used to treat diabetes, but have been known to ketoacidosis (too much acid in the blood) in some patients. Popular SGLT2 inhibitors are Invokana, Invokamet, Farxiga, Glyxambi, Jardiance, and Xigduo XR.
Drug companies can be liable for side effects if they failed to adequately warn users or prescribers (like doctors or pharmacists) about the known dangers of the drug.
If you’ve been injured by any of these prescription drugs, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney near you.
Related Resources:
- Injured by diabetes medication? Get your claim reviewed by an attorney for free. (Consumer Injury)
- Injured by Diabetes Medication? (FindLaw’s Injured)
- Seeking Legal Help for Diabetic Ketoacidosis (FindLaw’s Injured)
- Can I Sue for Invokamet Side Effects and Injury? (FindLaw’s Injured)
