What is GranuFlo?
When a person is suffering from kidney damage or kidney failure, he or she may not be able to thoroughly cleanse impurities from his or her blood. During dialysis treatment, a patient’s blood is pumped into a machine and treated with drugs to help take the place of healthy kidney functions. GranuFlo is a chemical known as a dialysate which is used during dialysis treatment. It helps to cleanse the patient’s blood and it also helps maintain a healthy ratio of acidity to alkalinity in the blood.
What is the problem with GranuFlo?
To help maintain healthy blood pH, GranuFlo converts to bicarbonate during the dialysis process. While a certain level of bicarbonate is healthy, too much bicarbonate can cause serious and potentially fatal health problems. FMC was aware that GranuFlo converts to bicarbonate at a higher rate than similar dialysates, but failed to make this information available to the medical community.
What are GranuFlo side effects?
GranuFlo can cause bicarbonate levels in a dialysis patient’s blood to be too high, which can lead to the following side effects:
- Stroke
- Cardiopulmonary arrest
- Low blood sugar
- Irregular heart beat
- Heart attack
- Hypokalemia
- Hypercapnia
- Hypoxemia
- Death
On what claims can a GranuFlo lawsuit be based?
As a manufacturer and provider of medical products, Fresenius Medical Care has a legal and ethical duty to thoroughly warn of any potential side effects associated with GranuFlo. In an internal memo from 2010, FMC makes it clear to their own doctors and dialysis clinics that the high rate at which GranuFlo converts to bicarbonate can lead to a risk of a heart attack or cardiac death that is up to 6 times higher than when a patient is treated with a similar dialysate. This information was not made public until this memo was leaked to the FDA in 2011, which led to an eventual recall of GranuFlo. Based on this leaked internal memo, many plaintiffs in GranuFlo lawsuits allege that FMC knew of the dangers of GranuFlo side effects but showed gross negligence in failing to warn the medical community of these potentially fatal side effects.
What kind of compensation may be awarded in a GranuFlo lawsuit?
In a GranuFlo lawsuit, plaintiffs may be able to recover compensation for physical, emotional, and financial damages including but not limited to:
- Medical bills
- Therapeutic costs
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Loss of a spouse
- End-of-life-costs
Contact a Dialysis Drug Heart Attack Lawyer
Based on irrefutable evidence that Fresenius knowingly withheld proper warnings about the high risk of dialysis drug heart attacks linked to GranuFlo and NaturaLyte, many people who have suffered a heart attack, cardiac arrest, or stroke during or after dialysis treatment with Fresenius products have filed dangerous drug lawsuits against this pharmaceutical giant. If you or someone you love had a heart attack or other cardiac episode that you believe may be related to GranuFlo or NaturaLyte, you could be entitled to substantial compensation for your damages. To learn more in a free legal consultation, contact us by filling the free case form or calling 1-800-305-6000.
