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Have you needed surgery to treat heart arrhythmia after being treated with Darvocet®? If so, contact our lawyers to find out if you have a Darvocet® heart arrhythmia claim.

Darvocet® Linked to Fatal Heart Arrhythmia

At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the manufacturers of Darvocet®, Darvon® and related brand name as well as generic painkillers pulled the drugs off the market in November 2010. 

Results of new heart studies prompted the FDA to ask for the drug recall. The FDA had reviewed data collected from numerous studies showing alarming arrhythmias (heart rhythm abnormalities) on the electrocardiograms of patients taking propoxyphene-containing drugs. 

Propoxyphene is contained in Darvocet®, Darvon®, and their generic equivalents. Because of the serious implications of the new data, the manufacturers of all propoxyphene products were asked to stop making the drug. Patients and doctors were told to stop using the medication immediately.

Some of the drugs, like Darvon®, contain propoxyphene alone. Other drugs, such as Darvocet®, contain propoxyphene plus the weaker painkiller acetaminophen (Tylenol). The acetaminophen helps to enhance the analgesic properties of propoxyphene.

Abnormal Heart Rhythms in Darvocet® Patients

Even in some healthy patients taking prescribed doses of the drugs, abnormal measures were found on their electrocardiograms. The abnormal measures are:

• An increase in the QT interval to the point where this abnormality could lead to serious and even fatal heart rhythm abnormalities
• Increased duration of two other electrocardiographic measures — the PR interval and the QRS complex, which also could cause serious heart rhythm abnormalities

Most arrhythmias fall into three categories:

·           A overly rapid heartbeat called tachycardia
·           An abnormally slow heartbeat called bradycardia
·           An another abnormality may be an irregular heart beat

Medication to Treat Arrhythmias

Medication is the first approach to treating arrhythmias. If medication doesn’t work, the next approach is surgery.

Surgery to Treat Arrhythmias

Two types of devices are available to be implanted surgically to regulate heart rhythm. They are:

• Pacemaker — A small device that is inserted in the chest or abdomen and is connected to the heart with wires to regulate the heart rhythm.  A sensor is usually part of the pacemaker and triggers the heart to beat only when the rhythm is abnormal.
• Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) — This device also can be implanted surgically into the chest or abdomen.  If the ICD senses a dangerous arrhythmia, it also sends a shock through wires connected to the heart to reinstate a normal heartbeat.

Another surgical approach to treating arrhythmias is maze surgery. The surgeon using this technique makes new pathways for the heart’s electrical signals. Other less invasive approaches to treat arrhythmias may be used. These include high heat or extreme cold to prevent the abnormal electrical signals.

If you’ve had to undergo surgery for heart arrhythmias that you think might be connected to Darvocet® use, contact a defective drug lawyer for legal help. You might qualify for compensation for the pain you endured as well as the cost of surgery and time away from work. We provide free case evaluations for potential clients.

"Darvocet® and Darvon® Recalled for Fatal Heart Side Effects"

Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, maker of the painkillers Darvocet® and Darvon® has pulled both drugs from U.S. m...

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