Lawsuits have been filed against Dailichi Sankyo and Forest Laboratories stating that Benicar side effects caused multiple hospitalizations in patients who took the drug. Benicar is prescribed to patients who are suffering from hypertension, or high blood pressure. The lawsuits follow a July 2013 warning from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that patients who take Benicar have a higher risk of developing a serious gastrointestinal disorder. 
Sprue-Like Enteropathy
A 2012 Mayo Clinic study of 22 patients taking Benicar found that a significant number of those patients developed sprue-like enteropathy, a disorder that causes severe diarrhea, weight fluctuations and gastrointestinal problems. In the study, 64% of the patients were hospitalized and intestinal biopsies showed villous atrophy and mucosal inflammation, as well as increased collagenous sprue. Gastritis was diagnosed in seven of the patients and microscopic colitis in five patients. When the patients discontinued the drug, the symptoms stopped. Starting the drug caused the symptoms to return, indicating that the serious gastrointestinal disorder should be noted as one of the Benicar side effects.
Benicar Side Effects Lawsuits
People who have taken Benicar for high blood pressure (hypertension) have filed lawsuits after experiencing these symptoms:
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Gastritis
- Colitis
- Vomiting
- Dehydration
- Malnutrition
Other medical symptoms may be a result of Benicar side effects. Attorney Group can help you determine if you should file a Benicar side effects lawsuit.
In 2014, multiple lawsuits were filed throughout the United States by patients who said they were hospitalized for diarrhea, weight loss, vomiting, malnutrition and dehydration. One patient said she suffered renal failure because of the Benicar side effects. Others said they suffered from severe anemia and that they developed additional medical problems because of the injuries caused by the sprue-like enteropathy.
FDA Warning
Despite the findings at the Mayo Clinic and through other studies that pointed to the risk of sprue-like enteropathy, the FDA did not issue a warning until July 2013, requiring the manufacturer to include the risk of sprue-like enteropathy as one of the Benicar side effects that patients could suffer. The FDA stated that 23 cases of diarrhea were reported to the agency as adverse events and, in at least 10 of those cases, discontinuation of the drug improved symptoms, just as the Mayo Clinic study reported one year earlier. The FDA reported that all patients who reported adverse events suffered chronic diarrhea for as long as 53 months and all of them experienced weight loss, one patient as much as 110 pounds.
Have You Had Gastrointestinal Symptoms After Taking Benicar?
If you or a loved one has suffered from what you believe are Benicar side effects, you may be eligible to receive a monetary compensation. Attorney Group can evaluate your case to help you determine if you have a claim. If so, one of our affiliated attorneys can file a Benicar side effects lawsuit on your behalf. And there are no out-of-pocket costs.
