Lexapro

Lexapro® (escitalopram oxalate)

 

Kane Legal is reviewing the following birth defect injuries related to Lexapro:

  • Persistent pulmonary hypertension of a newborn
  • Abdominal defects
  • Brain defects
  • Heart defects

 

If you or a loved one has taken Lexapro® and has experienced delivering a child with a serious birth defect, please call KANE LEGAL for a free consultation.

 

Lexapro® (known generically as escitalopram oxalate) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (commonly named an SSRI) which is used alone or in combination with other medications as an antidepressant.  Marketed by Forest Laboratories, Inc., Lexapro® was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002 for depression and certain anxiety disorders.

 

Common side effects of Lexapro® include:

  • Nausea, diarrhea
  • Sleep problems
  • Agitation
  • Drowsiness
  • Sexual dysfunction

 

Less common, but more serious side effects of Lexapro® include:

  • Increased thoughts of suicide or attempts
  • Mania
  • Seizure s

 

Recent studies have shown that use of an SSRI (like Lexapro®) during pregnancy increases the risk of birth defects by up to six times.  Birth defects associated with SSRIs include:

  • Persistent  pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN)
  • Heart defects
  • Lung defects

 

PPHN is a very serious birth defect.  A child suffering from PPHN may experience shock, heart failure, brain hemorrhage, seizers, kidney failure, organ damage and even death.  For those infants who do survive PPHN, they may experience long-term breathing difficulties, seizures and developmental disorders and hearing loss.

 

Other studies have shown that mothers who took antidepressants during pregnancy gave birth to children who experienced withdrawal symptoms such as seizures, tremors, gastrointestinal problems and sleep disturbances.

 

If you are a loved one is one of the mothers who took Lexapro® while pregnant and whose child was born with a serious birth defect, contact KANE LEGAL today for a free consultation.  At KANE LEGAL, we will help you file a lawsuit that can compensate all medical expenses needed to treat your child’s condition.