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Back to Ortho Evra® Side Effects Main Page
Ortho Evra®, the birth control patch, can have very dangerous side effects including blood clots that lead to a stroke. Recent reports indicate that the risk of dying or suffering a survivable blood clot while using the Ortho Evra® birth control patch are three times higher than using birth control pills. In 2005, Ortho McNeil issued a warning that Ortho Evra® contains higher levels of a hormone known to increase the risk blood clots. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released information stating that Ortho Evra® patch users are exposed to 60 percent more estrogen, which may lead to an increased risk of blood clots and stroke.
Since 2002, FDA records show that 17 Ortho Evra® patch users between the ages of 17 and 30 have suffered fatal strokes, heart attacks, and blood clots. The Associated Press (AP) obtained FDA reports that state 12 women died in 2004 from blood clots that may be linked to the use of the Ortho Evra® patch. It is unknown the amount of other women who were on Ortho Evra® and have suffered blood clot and stroke related injuries/death that have gone unreported to the FDA.
Over 700,000 Americans each year suffer a new or recurrent stroke making it the third leading cause of death in the U.S. A stroke is caused in Ortho Evra® users when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel or artery in or near the brain. A stroke can also happen when a blood vessel breaks, disturbing blood flow to a region of the brain. When a stroke occurs, brain cells are destroyed immediately in the blocked area. These cells typically die off within a few minutes to a couple hours after a stroke starts.
Ortho Evra® stroke side effect symptoms include, but are not limited to:
- Confusion
- Trouble speaking or understanding
- Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Numbness of the face, arm or leg
- Trouble walking
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Fever
- Fainting
- Severe headache with no known cause
- Loss of coordination or balance
- Coma
- Convulsions
If you or a loved one have used the Ortho Evra® birth control patch and have had a stroke, please contact us today using the form on the right or by calling us toll-free at 1 (866) 664-0400 for a FREE case review or to have your legal questions answered.
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