One of these drugs is known as Paxil, which is manufactured by SmithKline Beecham, was approved for use in the United States by the FDA in 1999.  Paxil works by providing and maintaining a balance of serotonin that passes from cell to cell.  Serotonin is the body’s messenger that carries orders and messages through the central nervous system.  When there is a serotonin imbalance in a patient, it can lead to the development of depression and anxiety, and this is often referred to as a ‘chemical imbalance’ by non-medical professionals.

Paxil hit the market with a lot of promise given its early results, but eventually a series of Paxil side effects began to be reported by patients.  There were two side effects that gained early notice, but others soon followed that were just as serious.  The two initial discoveries included:

1. Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension (PPHN) – PPHN is a condition whereby the pressure in the lungs rises, and this rise in pressure makes it extremely difficult for oxygen to pass through the respiratory system.  The condition is particularly dangerous for children and infants, but almost regardless of age, those stricken with PPHN require ongoing intensive care.  PPHN can be fatal in several circumstances.
2. Heart birth defects - Another initial batch of reports concerned infants of mothers who had taken Paxil while pregnant being born with serious heart birth defects.  This was particularly true of those mothers who had taken Paxil during their first trimester of pregnancy.  Two of the most common side effects were atrial and ventricular sepatal defects.  These conditions occur when the wall between the two side of the heart is not properly developed, thus creating the need for immediate heart surgery.

In addition to these two side effects, reports also surfaced that Paxil users between the ages of 18 and 24 showed a troubling tendency to develop suicidal thoughts.

In response to these reports, the FDA required a Black Box Warning to be affixed to all containers of Paxil as well as requiring Paxil to be classified as a ‘Category D’ drug for pregnant women, which means that it is seen as particularly dangerous for unborn fetuses.

As a result of all of these problems, peole began to review their legal options, the first of which is filing a Paxil lawsuit.  While taking on a pharmaceutical giant can seem quite daunting, the fact is that those who were injured as a result of using Paxil needed only to contact an experienced defective drugs attorney and to provide him or her with all the information the patient could gather that was relevant to the situation.  Beyond that step, the attorney would generally be able to handle the claim and any other issues that arose.

Therefore, if you or someone you love has been injured as a result of using this drug, you need to do the same and contact a defective drugs attorney as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation.