March 13, 2013 — Four class action lawsuits have been filed against DaVita Healthcare dialysis clinics on behalf of individuals who suffered heart attacks, cardiac arrest, or cardiopulmonary arrest after being given GranuFlo or Naturalyte. These products were recalled in 2012 after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) became aware of an increased risk of bicarbonate overdose, metabolic alkalosis, and death.
All four Granuflo and Naturalyte class action lawsuits were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado on March 6, on behalf of the following plaintiffs:
- Donald Thornton: The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Jean Thornton, a woman who died of a heart attack after being treated with Granuflo and/or Naturalyte in 2011 at DaVita Harbor View Dialysis Clinic in Racine, Wisconsin.
- Melvin Nunes: The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Stella Nunes, who was treated with GranuFlo and/or Naturalyte in December 2012 at DaVita Vacaville Dialysis Center in California. Soon after treatment, she suffered a fatal heart attack.
- Donald Young: Mr. Young suffered a life-threatening heart attack within three hours of being given GranuFlo and/or Naturalyte during dialysis at DaVita Erie Dialysis in Pennsylvania. He required surgery and suffers permanent injuries, including weakness and shortness of breath.
- Armando Moreno: Mr. Moreno suffered a heart attack the morning after receiving GranuFlo and/or Naturalyte at DaVita Tucson East Dialysis in Arizona.
The plaintiffs filed the class action lawsuits against DaVita to determine whether the company is liable for failing to properly review the ingredients in GranuFlo and Naturalyte, note that patients develop increased bicarbonate levels over time, or correct the problem after receiving reports of life-threatening complications and death.
GranuFlo and Naturalyte are manufactured by Fresenius Medical Care, the world’s largest provider of dialysis products and clinics. Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, an internal investigation identified 941 patients at 667 Fresenius clinics who died of a cardiopulmonary arrest at a Fresenius dialysis clinic. The researchers sent an internal memo warning that high pre-dialysis bicarbonate levels were associated with a 6 to 8-fold increased risk of heart attack, sudden cardiac arrest, cardiopulmonary arrest, or death.
The plaintiffs in each of the four class action lawsuits are seeking litigation to determine whether Naturalyte and GranuFlo are unreasonably dangerous. The products are formulated with sodium diacetate, a chemical that converts to bicarbonate in a patient’s body. If a doctor does not adjust the dose correctly, this can cause a life-threatening bicarbonate overdose.
Do I have a GranuFlo or Naturalyte Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting GranuFlo and Naturalyte induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been injured by a heart problem after dialysis treatment, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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