Lawyers and Attorneys working for our firm are investigating claims that micro-bubble contrast agents Definity and Optison cause cardiopulmonary conditions, including heart attacks and strokes, shortly after administration. In October 2007, the makers of Definity and Optison, contrast agents used in ultrasounds of the heart, agreed to include a new black box warning on their package inserts after the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) received hundreds of reports of serious cardiac reactions and deaths associated with the administration of these drugs.
What are the drugs Definity and Optison?
Definity and Optison are contrast agents. Contrast agents, also known as contrast media, often are used during medical imaging examinations to highlight specific parts of the body and make them easier to see. Contrast agents can be used with many types of imaging examinations, including x-ray exams, computed tomography scans and magnetic resonance imaging.
Contrast agents are administered in different ways: Some are given as a drink, others are injected or delivered through an intravenous line or an enema. After the examination, some contrast agents are harmlessly absorbed by the body; others are excreted through the urine or bowel movements. Contrast agents are not dyes; they do not permanently discolor internal organs. Instead, they temporarily change the way x-rays or other imaging tools interact with your body.
Definity and Optison are used to enhance the images obtained during an ultrasound radiological study.
What are the signs and symptoms of an adverse event associated with Definity and Optison?
Serious cardiopulmonary reactions, including fatalities, have occurred during or within 30 minutes following administration of a micro-bubble contrast agent. Specific signs and symptoms include:
- worsening or clinically unstable congestive heart failure;
- acute myocardial infarction or heart attack;
- serious ventricular arrhythmias;
- respiratory failure;
- severe emphysema;
- pulmonary emboli; and
- other conditions that cause pulmonary hypertension.
Definity and Optison Lawsuit Attorneys
If you or a loved one has been injured by Definity or Optison administered during an ultrasound, you may have valuable legal rights. Please fill out the form at the right for a free case review by a qualified definity and optison attorney.