Dallas, TX"I want to tell you about Trasylol from the perspective of a daughter whose mother died," says Dawn Tonglish, investigative reporter for CW33 News in Dallas.
"I hate this drug because it killed my mother and I have subsequently been told by doctors that it is extremely dangerous."
"Doctors said that, if Trasylol is not administered properly and used with extreme caution, the consequences can be deadly," says Tonglish. "My mother, Wilma, suffered an anaphylactic reaction from the drug and died three weeks later. I found out that she was given Trasylol right after surgery; furthermore, the doctors knew right away - and they told me - that this drug caused her death." (Trasylol (aprotinin injection) is a drug used to prevent blood loss during surgery.)
"After my Mom died, I had to get answers - I needed to find out why she died. I called all over the country and a doctor from Bayer HealthCare, [the makers of Trasylol] called me back. He is a paid speaker for Bayer and told me that, after hearing about my mother's death, Bayer had a safety meeting this past summer, 2006. He is now mandated to tell doctors about this side effect and that people die from being administered Trasylol. Bayer knew how dangerous the drug is, but how much do they tell doctors?
Next, I got the FDA reports - about five inches thick. As it turns out, many people have died from this drug. I have talked to people in the medical profession, from nurses to anestheologists, and they don't even want to use it. In all fairness, when used properly, it apparently helps to prevent blood loss and in repeat surgeries can be a life saver but in other surgeries it has the opposite affect, as we found out. Why weren't we given a choice? "
In a recent study from the Ischemia Research and Education Foundation in San Bruno, California, Trasylol was found to raise the risk of heart failure by 55 percent, increase the risk of kidney failure and double the chance of stroke. "It's a serious situation," said lead researcher Dennis Mangano. "The results are amazing and immediate measures should be taken," said Lynne Pressley, the National Heart Foundation of Australia's deputy president.
In February 2006, The Food and Drug Administration issued a Public Health Advisory alerting doctors who perform heart bypass surgery, and their patients, that Trasylol has been linked in two scientific publications to higher risks of serious side effects including kidney problems, heart attacks and strokes in patients who undergo artery bypass graft surgery.
Bayer HealthCare, stated that it had just become aware of the finding and needs time to study it, and that they "will make recommendations for best use as soon as possible." Meanwhile, how many more people will Trasylol kill?
If you or a loved one has experienced kidney or heart failure after heart surgery, please contact a [Trasylol] lawyer who will evaluate your claim at no charge.