Dallas Fort Worth Injury Lawyer Blog
Estrogen Combined With New Progestin Drospirenone (DRSP) Increase Risks Of Serious Side Effects Like Pulmonary Embolism, Stroke, And Heart Attack
All hormonal birth control options are associated with health risks. The oral contraceptive pills YAZ, Yasmin, and Ocella are associated with a possible higher rate of blood clots. Blood clots can cause serious side effects from YAZ, Yasmin, and Ocella – namely, stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism, and deep vein thrombosis.
A blood clot which begins in one part of the body can become a thromboembolism – essentially a blood clot that moves. A clot which moves into the lungs, heart, or brain is a very serious condition which can be fatal, and result in death.
Deep vein thrombosis, DVT, is a blood clot which most commonly forms in the leg. A pulmonary embolism, PE is a dangerous condition in which a clot forms in or has moved into the lungs. When a clot reaches the heart it can cause a heart attack, and clots in the brain can lead to strokes.
There are three possible reasons, or ways, that YAZ, Yasmin, and Ocella are suspected to increase a woman’s risk for thrombosis and thromboembolism: estrogen / progestin combination; DRSP’s link to hyperkalemia; and, DRSP’s diuretic effect.
(1) Unique Estrogen and Progestin Combination
Estrogen is a hormone which increases the coagulation of blood. Estrogen combined with a progestin enhances this effect even more. This is why all hormonal contraceptives are associated with some risk for developing blood clots.
YAZ, Yasmin, and Ocella are the only oral contraceptive (OC) pills to contain drospirenone (DRSP), which is a new progestin classified as a “fourth generation”progestin. It is widely held that the newer third and fourth generation progestins carry a higher risk for blood clotting.
YAZ, Yasmin, and Ocella are advertised as clearing mild acne and decreasing water retention, in addition to birth control function.
In fact, the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen recommends that practitioners rely upon older, well-researched oral contraceptives. They state that there is no reason to opt for more potentially dangerous contraceptive pills, when there are safer options which are equally as effective. YAZ and Yasmin have both made Public Citizen’s Do Not Use list in the past.
(2) Hyperkalemia Due to DRSP
Drospirenone (DRSP) exhibits antimineralocorticoid activity. This influences the regulation of water and electrolytes in the body. This can increase potassium to a dangerous level, putting a woman at risk for hyperkalemia.
Hyperkalemia is a dangerous condition which develops when there is too much potassium in the blood. Potassium is essential in regulating a normal heart rhythm. However, when too much potassium is present in the blood, suppression of electrical activity of the heart can result.
When the electrical rhythm of the heart is disturbed, blood can pool in the walls of the atrium. Over time this pooling can cause blood clots to form. Clots in the heart put one at a greater risk for having a heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI).
The package insert, or label, for YAZ, Yasmin, and Ocella each currently carry a bolded warning for their link to hyperkalemia. What these warnings do not mention, is that even mild hyperkalemia can increase the risk for blood clots.
(3) Drospirenone’s Diuretic Effect
YAZ, Yasmin, and Ocella are said to be innovative oral contraceptive pills in that they contain the new progestin drospirenone (DRSP) which they claim to get rid of the uncomfortable, painful bloating and water retention normally associated with a woman’s period. However, DRSP’s diuretic effect – which causes the body to rid itself of water – poses another potential danger for clotting.
Water is a large component of the blood. It aids in keeping the blood at its proper consistency which, in turn, allows it to flow, and coagulate, in a normal way. When the body becomes dehydrated, however, the blood thickens. Thus, again, the risk for blood clots increases.
For these reasons, each of the three factors above plays a part in the safety concerns that have arisen concerning YAZ, Yasmin, and Ocella.
The Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm is currently evaluating and accepting clients who have been injured by side effects of Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella contraceptive pills.
If you or a family member has been personally injured because of the fault of someone else: by the use of dangerous drugs, bad products, or toxic injury etc then please contact the Fort Worth Texas Defective Drugs Product Liability Attorney Dr. Shezad Malik. For a no obligation, free case analysis, please call 817-255-4001 or Contact Me Online.