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ropylthiouracil Graves’ Disease Treatment and Liver Damage

Tulsa, Norman, Edmond, Oklahoma City, and McAlister, Oklahoma

Propylthiouracil is one of the recommended treatment medications for hyperthyroidism caused by Graves’ disease, and has been prescribed to thousands of patients since 1947. However, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning issued June 4, 2009, says propylthiouracil users risk serious liver damage, including failure and death associated with its use. The FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) indicated that propylthiouracil has been linked to 12 deaths and five liver transplants in adult patients, and one death and six liver transplants in child patients.

If you or a loved one has suffered serious liver damage as the result of taking propylthiouracil for treatment of Graves’ disease, please contact the experienced Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma defective drug attorneys at Stipe, Harper, Laizure, Uselton, Belote, Maxcey & Theford to discuss your legal options.

Graves’ Disease

Graves’ disease is caused by the body’s immune system attacking the thyroid gland. Rather than destroying the thyroid gland, this causes hyperthyroidism and the overproduction of the hormone called thyroxine. There are several adverse symptoms of Graves’ disease including anxiety, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, rapid heartbeat, as well as Graves’ ophthalmology. This causes the muscles and tissue behind the eye to swell and push the eyeball forward and can greatly affect vision. Graves’ disease is rarely fatal, can hit victims at any age, but is more common with women and people past the age of 20.

Doctors are not sure what causes the immune system to attack the thyroid gland, but treatments include beta-blockers, radioactive iodine treatment, and the anti-thyroid medications methimazole and propylthiouracil.

The FDA has found that use of propylthiouracil to treat hyperthyroidism carries a much greater risk of causing liver damage than does using methimazole. Methimazole is the preferred medication over propylthiouracil, but certain patients may be allergic to methimazole and problems have been associated with pregnant women in their first trimester. Your doctor should always offer methimazole as treatment before propylthiouracil unless you are allergic or in your first trimester. If they do not, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice suit.

If you or a loved one has a serious liver injury as the result of taking propylthiouracil for Graves’ disease, please contact the experienced defective drug attorneys at Stipe, Harper, Laizure, Uselton, Belote, Maxcey & Thetford. We serve the areas of Tulsa, Norman, Edmond, Oklahoma City, and McAlester, Oklahoma.

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Disclaimer: The information contained throughout this site is meant to generally inform the reader about our areas of practice, including product liability and drug injury. This information is not meant to be taken as legal advice and nothing on this site establishes a lawyer / client relationship. Our accident lawyers provide legal assistance in the Tulsa area including Oklahoma City, McAlester and Norman, Oklahoma.