GranuFlo lawsuit numbers continue to rise in the wake of the Class I recall of both GranuFlo Dry Acid Concentrate and NaturaLyte Acid Concentrate. While both products showed promise when used on hemodialysis patients with acute renal failure, they have been linked with a marked increase in the chances of cardiac arrest due to a build-up of bicarbonate in the blood. The link between cardiac arrest and GranuFlo and NaturaLyte was not suspected until 2010, when an internal memo sent by manufacturer Fresenius Medical Care (FMC) to its facilities warned administering doctors to take proper precautions in regard to the added bicarbonate in these drugs. The memo reported that 941 patients in Fresenius dialysis centers had experienced cardiac arrest linked to use of GranuFlo and/or NaturaLyte.

Fresenius Medical Care did not initially share this information with outside facilities using either dialysis product in their therapies, putting thousands of patients at risk.

If you or a loved one have suffered a serious injury, such as heart attack or even death, after undergoing dialysis treatment with GranuFlo and/or NaturaLyte, you may be able to hold Fresenius liable for the company’s inexcusable failure to put the safety of patients over profit margins.

GranuFlo recall

In late November of 2011, internal Fresenius Medical Center documents were leaked to the FDA concerning the internal study. The company still failed to share all of its information with the FDA at that point. On June 25, 2012, the FDA issued a Class I recall of all GranuFlo and NaturaLyte products. A Class I recall is reserved for the most dangerous products, which could potentially cause a life-changing injury or death.

Serious side effects linked to GranuFlo & NaturaLyte include:

• Cardiopulmonary arrest
• Heart problems
• Low blood pressure
• Metabolic alkalosis
• Sudden heart attack or Myocardial Infarction
• Irregular heartbeat
• Low blood potassium (Hypokalemia)
• Low blood oxygen (Hypoxemia)
• Increased blood carbon dioxide (Hypercapnia)
• Stroke
• Death

Warning signs of metabolic alkalosis include:

• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Aching bones
• Muscle twitches
• Abdominal pains

The cause of most deaths (59%) for Fresenius dialysis patients is cardiac related. They were not due to stiffening arteries or plaque build-up. Instead, they are characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy, dysfunction, and dilation (due to elevated bicarbonate levels).

Fresenius didn’t just know that people using their products could die; they knew and continued to promote it. That’s why The Sanders Firm is committed to fighting for justice for victims of GranuFlo and/or NaturaLyte injuries. Big drug companies have a duty to protect the wellbeing of their customers, and when that duty is violated, the law is on the side of innocent victims. If you or a loved one has been harmed after undergoing dialysis with Fresenius products, you do not have to suffer alone. We urge you to contact a product liability attorney at The Sanders Firm today for a free, friendly and comprehensive discussion of your legal rights.