The pharmaceutical liability attorneys at The Law Offices of Peter Angelos provide information regarding the risks related to proton pump inhibitors and the lawsuits filed by PPI consumers.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are used to treat a number of common abdominal conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, stomach and duodenal ulcers, heartburn and erosive esophagitis. As is common with many over-the-counter and prescription medications, PPI’s can cause a number of potential side effects, including anxiety, dizziness, muscle and abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea and skin irritation.
However, research has suggested a link between the use of PPI’s such as Prilosec, Nexium, Prevacid, Protonix, Dexilant, Aciphex, and various severe health conditions. Reports claim that such medications have the potential to cause birth defects when used by pregnant women, bone fractures, dementia and even chronic kidney disease. Because of the adverse health effects experienced by patients, claims are being filed against PPI manufacturers alleging that the manufacturers had knowledge of the increased risks of severe side effects, yet continued to market and sell the PPI medications to consumers.
Multiple lawsuits have been filed in federal court alleging that Nexium, one of the most common PPI’s used for gastrointestinal and abdominal conditions, has caused patients to develop chronic kidney disease. The most recent of these filings concerns a man who was prescribed the drug in 2006, and later suffered kidney failure that required kidney transplant surgery.
Attorneys suggest that hundreds of additional claims have been filed against PPI manufacturers.
Recent studies support these allegations, suggesting that the use of PPI’s may be linked to an increased risk for acute and chronic kidney disease. Canadian scientists found that of nearly 300,000 people studied, participants who took PPI’s were more than twice as likely to suffer from kidney failure than those who did not. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) also published a study in February 2016 that suggests a link between the use of PPI’s and the increased risk of chronic kidney disease. This study, in addition to other similar findings, indicated that the greater the frequency and longevity of PPI use, the greater the risk of developing chronic kidney disease.
If you or a loved one were prescribed proton pump inhibitor medications, such as Prilosec and Nexium, and have suffered acute or chronic kidney failure, bone fractures, or other severe health conditions, it is important that you speak with an experienced pharmaceutical liability attorney regarding your claim.
The Law Offices of Peter Angelos has represented victims of defective and unsafe pharmaceutical products for over 50 years. Our attorneys have extensive experience in handling product liability cases and in litigating complex and high-stakes corporate liability cases. We are willing and able to effectively stand up against large pharmaceutical companies that make unsafe medications and products available to the public. For more information about the risks associated with PPI use, or to schedule a free legal consultation with one of our pharmaceutical liability attorneys, contact the Law Offices of Peter Angelos.