Tequin® Injury Attorneys: the San Diego Offices of Kerry Steigerwalt's Pacific Law Center
Both the sale and production of the antibiotic Tequin® (tablet and intravenous injection) were stopped by its manufacturer on May 2, 2006. If you have suffered a Tequin®-related injury or illness, our Tequin® attorneys in the San Diego offices of Kerry Steigerwalt's Pacific Law Center are prepared to provide you with knowledgeable and professional legal representation.
Tequin® (gatifloxacin) is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic usually prescribed for infections of the sinus, lungs, or urinary tract. It has also been used to treat some sexually transmitted conditions caused by bacteria. The FDA approved Tequin® in 1999 for the treatment of sinusitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, gonorrhea, and certain infections of the urinary tract, kidneys, and skin.
Tequin® and Blood Sugar Warnings
The patient information for Tequin® has been revised several times since 1999 to include warnings and updates about the association between Tequin® use and serious and sometimes life-threatening alterations in blood sugar levels. Reports that people using Tequin® had developed severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) had begun to appear in 2002. In February 2006, the FDA ordered a stronger warning to be included with the prescribing information for Tequin®, adding that diabetics were advised not to take Tequin®. In March 2006, the results of an independent Tequin® study set to appear in The New England Journal of Medicine were released to the public early due to the life-threatening nature of the potential side effects of Tequin®: hundreds of cases of severely high or low blood sugar and 20 deaths linked to Tequin® use were noted. This large, controlled study headed by Dr. David Juurlink of the Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Center in Toronto found that elderly people (over 65 years of age) who were using Tequin® were 17 times more likely to develop abnormally high blood sugar compared to other antibiotic use, and that elderly patients taking Tequin® were four times more likely to need hospitalization for seriously low blood sugar.
Millions of Americans have received Tequin® prescriptions since its introduction. If you have taken Tequin® and suffered an injury or any adverse effects, our Tequin® attorneys in San Diego can advise you regarding your legal rights and options.
Symptoms of Blood Sugar Problems
It’s not known how Tequin® could cause abnormally high blood sugar in some people and abnormally low blood sugar in others. Anyone who has taken Tequin® should be aware of the signs of serious blood glucose fluctuations (too high or too low blood sugar). These include:
- Trembling
- Cold sweat
- Disorientation
- Light-headedness
- Numb feeling in lips
- Nausea or vomiting
- Elevated heart rate
- Rapid breathing
- Tingling in various body parts
- Excessive thirst
- Food cravings or extreme hunger
- Distorted eyesight
- Chronic fatigue
- Irritability and mood swings
- Headaches
- Lack of concentration
- Periods of unconsciousness
- Seizures
- Frequent urination
- Unexplained weight loss or gain
- High or low blood pressure
- Frequent or recurring infections
- Slow healing of cuts and bruises
Regardless of whether you’ve had to be hospitalized for severe high or low blood sugar, if you suspect that you’ve suffered a Tequin®-related injury or health problem, contact our Tequin® attorneys in the San Diego offices of the Kerry Steigerwalt's Pacific Law Center to arrange a consultation.
Tequin® Still in Circulation
Although Bristol-Myers Squibb has stopped its production of Tequin® and is apparently returning the rights to manufacture and distribute it to the Japanese pharmaceutical company from which these rights were obtained (Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co.), the Tequin® that is still in circulation is not being pulled off the shelves. Many pharmacies, clinics, and hospitals, including those of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, most likely have plenty of Tequin® in their inventories of antibiotics. To learn more about the issues surrounding Tequin®-related injury or illness, contact the attorneys in San Diego at Kerry Steigerwalt's Pacific Law Center today.
