The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) has announced a recall over Xarelto 20mg film-coated tablets made by Strathclyde Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Better known as Rivaroxaban, the tablets are packaged into blister strips with the weight labelled on one side.
A batch is reportedly affected by the recall following reports of rogue blister strips carrying 15mg tablets finding their way into the twin pack 20mg tablets.
The batch number in question is BXHHDR1, due to expire in September 2019. The 28-tablet packets were reportedly first distributed on 18th September 2017.
Pharmacists and Healthcare providers in charge of medicine are requested to check, identify and quarantine any of the recalled stock and return them to their original supplier. Carers and patients who have been provided with the tablets should also be notified and asked to return any of the incorrect tablets they have.
Rivaroxaban is used as a blood thinner and to treat blood clots. Patients who are unaware of the recall and take an under-dose of 15mg instead of 20mg may not be reducing their blood viscosity enough, risking the formation of blood clots. Blood clots can be very dangerous as they can block vital blood flow around the body. Deep vein thrombosis is a type of blood clot that takes place usually in one of the legs; causing pain and swelling. Starved of blood, the tissue in our body can die off.
Blood clots can also cause a pulmonary embolism; a clump of blood cells blocking blood from being carried to the lungs. Without sufficient blood, the lungs can collapse and lead to heart failure.
In serious cases, a blood clot can cause death.
A 2005 House of Commons Health Committee report found that every year, around 25,000 people die as a result of a hospital-acquired blood clot. It also said that the total number of deaths, “is more than the combined total of deaths from breast cancer, AIDS and traffic accidents, and more than 25 times the number who die from MRSA.”
You can see how serious this issue is.
If you take Rivaroxaban or you care for someone who does, check the packets you own to see if the strength of the tablets are as expected. If the packet says 20mg but the blister packets say 15mg, refer to your pharmacist or distributor for a replacement.
Image Credit: http://www.pmlive.com/pharma_news/uk_nice_xarelto_used_NHS_atrial_fibrillation_404703
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