In November 2010, the FDA asked Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals to remove both Darvon and Darvocet from the market after a study found that even when taken at recommended doses, propoxyphene painkiller causes significant changes to the electrical activity of the heart. One of the new side effects of Darvocet, Torsade de pointes, has been found to occur in patients taking Darvocet and women are nearly eight times as likely to suffer from Torsade de pointes as men while taking Darvocet. But, with such a long history, many people are wondering what took the FDA so long to ban a drug that was affecting so many people.
Darvocet induced Torsade de pointes is a form of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia characterized by a gradual change in the amplitude and twisting of the QRS complexes around the isoelectric line and rotation of the heart's electrical axis by at least 180ยบ. Torsade de pointes, often referred to as torsade, is associated with a prolonged QT interval, which may be congenital or acquired. Torsade usually terminates spontaneously but frequently recurs and may degenerate into ventricular fibrillation.
Both Darvon and Darvocet were developed by Eli Lilly & Co. around 50 years ago. Darvon’s active ingredient is propoxyphene, while Darvocet is made with propoxyphene painkiller and acetaminophen. Eli Lilly eventually quit selling both drugs, but Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals continued to market them.
Darvocet was introduced as a combination drug that contained both propoxyphene and acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. At the time of its recall, Darvocet was one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the United States. For Darvocet users who have experienced one or more of the serious side effects of Darvocet that have been linked to the drug, the next step is to take legal action by contacting an experienced Darvocet lawyer in order to gain some form of settlement that could help compensate for the patient’s injuries.
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