Testosterone

Millions of men across the county have turned to testosterone therapy to combat some of the symptoms of low testosterone including decreased libido, energy, and motivation. In 2011, an estimated 5.3 million testosterone prescriptions were written in the United States. However, there have been a number of problems and side effects linked to those using the drug. If you or a loved one has experienced serious side effects following the use of testosterone therapy or treatments, we encourage you to contact a Tennessee testosterone lawyer.

The use of testosterone therapy has become more and more popular over the past several years. An aggressive marketing blitz has sought to capitalize on the effects of low testosterone in men. You may have seen or heard television, radio, and internet advertisements for testosterone therapy as a means for older or aging men to overcome low testosterone or low-T.

The signs or symptoms of low testosterone can include a low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, depression, or low motivation level. Testosterone therapy introduces testosterone into the body as a means of alleviating these common symptoms. Upon a doctor’s diagnosis or determination of low testosterone, testosterone therapy can be prescribed in the form of a gel, patches, injections, or pills. Some of the common medication names used for testosterone therapy include:

• Androgel
• Testim
• Axiron
• Bio-T-Gel
• Delatestryl
• Fortesta
• Testopel
• Striant
• Androderm
• Depo-Testosterone

While testosterone therapy has been successful in reducing symptoms in those who may have low testosterone, the treatment has not come without its risks. A study by researchers at the National Cancer Institute found that some men undergoing prescription testosterone therapy are at an increased risk of suffering heart attacks. The study found that men 65 years or older and those patients younger than 65 who had a history of heart disease had twice the rate of heart attacks three months following the beginning of testosterone treatments than compared to the year prior to treatment. Similarly, a study that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that older men had a 29% increase in stroke, heart attack, and death while undergoing testosterone therapy.

Despite the popularity of testosterone treatments, there have been a number of serious side effects for many men undergoing treatment. Some of the serious and even fatal side effects include:

• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Mini-strokes
• Coronary artery disease
• Pulmonary embolism
• Death

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on January 31, 2014 that it was looking further into the risks of heart attack, stroke, and death of men undergoing testosterone treatment. This announcement comes after the FDA review of studies conducted by the National Cancer Institute and the study published in JAMA. The FDA has stated that it will release a report following the evaluation of data from the two studies and other pertinent findings.

If you or a loved one has experienced any of these serious or fatal side effects following the use of testosterone therapy, we encourage you to talk with an attorney. You may be entitled to compensation for the injuries that you have suffered. The Tennessee testosterone lawyers at The Higgins Firm would be happy to answer any questions that you may have related to your potential claim.