An Arkansas Nexium lawsuit may be an option for patients who suffered complications after taking the heartburn medication. Nexium, also known as esomeprazole, is a medication used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and symptoms associated with heartburn, difficulty swallowing, and ulcers. Millions of Americans use Nexium, however, the medication has been linked to serious adverse conditions, particularly those affecting the kidneys. Affected patients and their families may be eligible to file a lawsuit and recover compensation for their injuries with the help of an Arkansas Nexium lawsuit attorney.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Arkansas today. We offer free, confidential, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a case we can connect you with an affiliated Nexium lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is Nexium?
Nexium is used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD or acid reflux) and symptoms associated with heartburn and ulcers. Nexium is available by prescription or over-the-counter.
How Does Nexium Work?
Nexium belongs to a group of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPI) whose main action focuses on a pronounced and long-lasting reduction of gastric acid production in the stomach. Nexium, as well as other PPIs, works by irreversibly blocking the gastric proton pump, a membrane protein responsible for acidification of stomach contents.
Nexium Side Effects
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Nexium may cause serious side effects including:
- Severe diarrhea caused by an infection in the intestines
- Bone fractures as a result of long-term use of PPIs
- Chronic inflammation of the stomach lining
- Vitamin B-12 deficiency
- Low magnesium levels in the body
Other common side effects of Nexium may include headache, dry mouth, diarrhea, nausea, gas, abdominal pain, constipation, and drowsiness.
Nexium Risks
In addition to common side effects and allergic reactions associated with the use of Nexium for the treatment of heartburn and acid reflux, there are other serious complications that are reportedly linked to the use of the drug.
Those risks include:
- Acute Interstitial Nephritis (AIN): AIN is a form of nephritis (kidney inflammation) that affects the interstitium (fluid that surrounds tissue cells) in the kidneys surrounding the tubules. If left untreated, AIN can eventually lead to kidney failure.
- Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): CKD is a progressive loss in kidney function over a long period of time, typically months or even years. CKD may lead to a number of other complications such as high blood pressure, anemia, weak bones, poor nutritional health, and nerve damage.
- Acute Kidney Injury (AKI): AKI is a complex disorder marked by an abrupt loss of kidney function, usually developing within seven days. AKI is most commonly caused by decreased renal blood flow, exposure to harmful substances in the kidneys, an inflammatory process in the kidneys, or an obstruction of the urinary tract.
If any of these conditions are left left untreated, they may eventually lead to renal or kidney failure, a medical condition in which the kidneys fail to adequately filter waste products from the blood. Renal failure may lead to increased fluid in the body, increased acid levels, raised levels of potassium and phosphate, decreased levels of calcium, and anemia in later stages. Kidney failure may require dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Nexium Lawsuit
According to a Nexium lawsuit filed in Illinois in May 2016, several observational studies have linked PPI use to serious adverse health conditions, including hip fracture, community acquired pneumonia, intestinal infections, AIN, and AKI. Likewise, the lawsuit alleges that a recent study in the JAMA Internal Medicine has shown long term use of PPIs with a 20 to 50 percent higher risk of CKD.
The lawsuit further alleges that the manufacturers, AstraZeneca, failed to adequately warn against the negative side effects and risks associated with Nexium. As a result of omitting, concealing, and inadequately providing critical safety information regarding the use of Nexium in order to induce its purchase and use, AstraZeneca engaged in unlawful, fraudulent, and unfair conduct likely to mislead consumers.
How an Arkansas Nexium Lawsuit Can Help
Drug makers have a duty to provide safe products. If there are risks of harm associated with their products, they also must provide adequate warnings. If a drug maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
People injured by bad drugs may be eligible to recover money for:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Pain and Suffering
The families of those who have died may be eligible to recover money for funeral expenses and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Arkansas today. After you contact us, an attorney will follow up to answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
