Levaquin Linked to Adverse Reactions, Permanent Nerve Damage in Patients

 Posted on December 10, 2014 in Defective Prescription Drugs

Side effects of certain medication can put people at high risk for harm, increasing pain, and long-term medical conditions. It is the responsibility of drug manufacturers to make publicly known the severity of side effects its products may cause.

One of the highest-selling medications, Levaquin, secured record high sales in 2012 with $1.5 billion worth of prescriptions sold, according to Forbes. The antibiotic is prescribed to patients to treat conditions such as:

• urinary tract infections;
• pneumonia;
• acute bacterial sinusitis; and
• skin infections.

A little over a year ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a drug safety warning about the risks Levaquin carries. The administration required updates to drug labeling and medication guides to include a better description of one of the major side effects of taking the medication: peripheral neuropathy.

Peripheral neuropathy is a result of nerve damage and can causes pain and numbness in the body, particularly the hands and feet. Symptoms include:

• burning or electric-like pain;
• extreme sensitivity, even to light touch;
• lack of coordination;
• change in skin, hair, or nails;
• muscle weakness or paralysis;
• changes in blood pressure leading to lightheadedness or dizziness; and
• tingling in the feet and hands.

This condition can damage the nervous system, causing permanent effects on the body. The FDA reported an estimated 23.1 million patients received prescriptions of oral fluoroquinolone, the group of antibiotics which includes Levaquin, in 2012. Patients who have suffered harm, including peripheral neuropathy, from taking this medication may be eligible for compensation.

Drug manufacturers are accountable for the clear labeling of its products to alert medical providers and the general public of the side effects and additional risks its product carries. If you or someone you know has suffered serious side effects or complications as a result of a defective drug in Illinois, contact an experienced Arlington Heights defective medical product attorney today.