Digitek Lawsuits Filed in West Virginia as a Result of Double Strength Tablets
Published: June 5th, 2008 • Comments: 3
Two West Virginia lawsuits were filed last week as a result of injuries suffered by users who allegedly received Digitek pills that contained twice the approved level of active ingredient. On April 25, 2008, all lots of Digitek, also known as digoxin, were recalled due to a risk that double strength tablets may increase the risk of digitalis toxicity, caused by a build up of the drug in the body.
Digitek is used to regulate abnormal heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation, and to treat congestive heart failure. A known side effect of digoxin is a potential for the medication to build up if it is not processed out of the body through the kidneys. This has been a particular risk for those who are sensitive to the medication or those with impaired kidney function.
As a result of manufacturing problems which are still being investigated, the manufacturer, Actavis Totowa, discovered that some pills sold have been twice as thick as they were supposed to be and contained twice the active pharmaceutical ingredient.
The Digitek lawsuits filed in West Virginia allege that because defective pills were consumed, one plaintiff died and another suffered severe injuries. Melvin Pennington filed one lawsuit in Putnam County, West Virginia, after suffering “dizziness, low blood pressure, cardiac instability, bradycardia and other damages” which allegedly resulted from the medication. The other lawsuit was filed in Kanawha County, West Virginia, on behalf of Elizabeth Starr, who died on May 5, 2008 after taking Digitek.
The West Virginia Digitek Lawsuits were filed against Actavis Totowa, LLC, as well as the distributors in the United States, Mylan Bertek Pharmaceuticals and UDL Laboratories, Inc.
>>RELATED INFORMATION: Digitek Recall Lawsuits
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Comment by Kenneth on 6 January 2009:
I had chest pains and was unaware that the medication was causing chest pain before it was
changed. The druggist wanted me to return the pills but I kept them instead.
I would become dizzy and light-headed when I would walk around. I called in the refill
and my wife was told the meds was changed. I called him on the phone and was informed that my drug had been changed due to a recall.