Pulmonary embolism is a sudden blockage of an artery in a lung. It is usually caused by a blood clot that formed in a leg, broke loose and traveled to the lung. A small PE may damage the lung. A large PE can be deadly. Emergency medical care for a PE often involves medication that dissolves the blood clot while also treating the patient’s breathing problems and/or other symptoms.

The birth control pills Yaz, Yasmin, Ocella and generic versions of these oral contraceptives have been linked to a heightened risk of blood clots. These Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals products contain drospirenone. This is a synthetic version of progesterone that has been found to increase clotting. Bayer has been the object of many personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits filed on behalf of Yaz users.

How a Pulmonary Embolism Forms

Pulmonary embolism is a complication of deep vein thrombosis. DVT is a blood clot (thrombus) that occurs in a vein far from the surface of the body. Almost all blood clots that cause PE are formed in the deep leg veins, WebMD says.

In rare cases, a PE is caused by an infection, tumor or fat cells. Air bubbles or foreign substances – such as a catheter that breaks off, talc, mercury, iodine or cotton ¬– which have been left in the body because of a medical error during surgery can cause a pulmonary embolism as well, according to WebMD.

Birth control pills can also cause blood clots that lead to PE. Most birth control pills contain the hormone estrogen, which increases the clotting factors in blood. They also contain progestin, which is synthetic progesterone. But several medical studies have concluded that the progestin drospirenone increases clotting factors in blood more than other synthetic progesterone. That means a drospirenone-containing birth control pill raises a woman’s risk of a blood clot more than other birth control does.

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals manufactures several drospirenone-containing birth control products, including Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella. A birth control injury attorney can help a woman who has suffered a pulmonary embolism after taking Yaz to recover compensation for medical expenses and other losses. A Yaz birth control injury attorney can also help the family of a woman who died because of PE after taking Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella.

Contact a Yaz Pulmonary Embolism Lawyer Today

If you or a loved one has taken Yaz, Yasmin, Ocella or similar oral contraceptives as prescribed and suffered a pulmonary embolism (PE), it is crucial that you contact The Driscoll Firm, LLC, today to speak to an experienced Yaz lawsuit attorney. Call us today at 877-812-4524 or fill out our online form to schedule a free and confidential initial consultation. We can review your legal rights and options.

The Driscoll Firm, LLC, has represented clients injured by dangerous pharmaceuticals and medical devices for more than a decade, and attorney John J. Driscoll has a proven record of representing plaintiffs in complex product liability cases, consumer class actions and personal-injury litigation.

Yaz lawsuits continue to be filed and settled. So, act quickly to protect your rights and interests.