Yaz and Yasmin have been associated with various serious side effects and the FDA has acknowledged that hyperkalemia is one of them. Hyperkalemia is a condition that is characterized by patients experiencing a high level of potassium in the bloodstream.
While hyperkalemia is considered to be one of the more dangerous side effects of Yaz and Yasmin, it is believed that the condition on its own is unlikely to be the basis of a Yaz lawsuit. However, that doesn’t get Bayer, the makers of Yaz and Yasmin, off the hook since hyperkalemia can lead to other side effects linked to Yaz use. Hyperkalemia can cause women to suffer from strokes, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms, which are also Yaz side effects. These side effects have been the basis of thousands of lawsuits against the drug giant.
Back in 2008, the FDA sent a warning letter to Bayer that Yaz and Yasmin “can lead to hyperkalemia … which may result in potentially serious heart and health problems.” The letter continues to show that adverse event reports that have been submitted by patients to the FDA’s Medwatch program reveal “numerous warnings about Yasmin and Yaz stroke, as well as additional Yasmin and Yaz birth control side effects such as hepatic neoplasia, gallbladder disease, and hypertension, myocardial infarction and thromboembolism.”
When it comes to patients and Yasmin/Yaz birth control side effects, there is often a chain reaction of side effects that occurs. Potassium in the blood is required to help manage the activity of the muscle; it also helps to regulate the electrical rhythms of the heart. When a person’s potassium levels get too high or too low, it can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, which can lead to blood clots. It is these blood clots that can lead to deep vein thrombosis and strokes. DVT can lead to a pulmonary thrombosis, which occurs when the blood clot is carried through the bloodstream and into the lungs. This condition is often fatal.
If you experience hyperkalemia after taking Yaz, you may have grounds for filing a Yaz lawsuit.
