YAZ has been linked to several serious adverse side effects. Gallstones are one symptom — the hardening of digestive fluids into deposits within the gallbladder, which is a small organ situated beneath the liver on the right side of the abdomen. They can range in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball and can develop one or many at a time. Although serious cases may require gallbladder removal, gallstones that do not present signs or symptoms do not typically need treatment. Gallstones, or cholelithiasis, are one form of what is commonly referred to as gallbladder disease, with inflammation, or cholecystitis, as another.
High cholesterol is another side effect of YAZ, characterized by the development of fatty deposits in blood vessels that make it difficult for arteries to facilitate enough blood flow. The building up of arterial walls is a process known as atherosclerosis. If left untreated, high cholesterol can lead to heart disease, which is the leading cause of death worldwide.
High cholesterol and heart disease can also lead to an increased risk of heart attack, which occurs when the heart does not receive the oxygen-rich blood it needs, as well as stroke due to decreased blood flow to the brain.
In the case of YAZ, heart attacks and strokes also stem from issues related to blood clotting. Blood clots have served as the focus of ongoing litigation tied to the medication. Blood clots develop when blood thickens and clumps together. One of the dangers of blood clots is that they can form under different circumstances in different locations throughout the body. Although blood clots are beneficial in the body’s ability to stop excessive bleeding, their formation in critical locations, such as the heart, lungs, and brain, can be fatal. Not only can blood clots form in one area, causing widespread problems, they can also break from their original source and cause damage in other areas of the body.
A pulmonary embolism is one of the serious and potentially life-threatening side effects of YAZ as a result of blood clotting. It is defined as the blockage of at least one pulmonary artery in the lungs. This can occur when a blood clot travels from a deep vein, most often in the legs and generally known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), to the lungs.
Another blood clot-related side effect of YAZ is a heart attack. This most often occurs when a blood clot forms in the heart’s arteries, blocking the flow of blood to areas of the heart and damaging the muscle.
A third serious side effect of YAZ resulting from blood clotting is a stroke. A stroke can occur when a blood clot forms in one of the heart’s chambers and travels to the brain — this usually occurs in patients who have atrial fibrillation, or an irregular heart rhythm. A stroke can also occur when a blood clot forms in the neck, specifically within the carotid arteries, and travels to the brain.
High potassium levels, or hyperkalemia, is another side effect of YAZ. Elevated levels of potassium can lead to muscle weakness and arrhythmia of the heart, the latter of which is life-threatening.