Benicar is a medication intended to treat high blood pressure. Despite its success in many patients, the drug is also associated with a number of severe side effects, including persistent diarrhea, intestinal problems and weight loss. Affected patients may be eligible to file a Colorado Benicar lawsuit to seek compensation for their injuries.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Colorado. We can answer your questions and help you determine whether you have a claim against the drug maker. You could be eligible to recover damages for your condition. If you choose to pursue a claim, we can connect you with an affiliated attorney who can file a Benicar lawsuit on your behalf.
How Benicar Works
According to the American Heart Association, approximately 80 million adults in the U.S. suffer from high blood pressure (also known as hypertension). Blood pressure is a measurement of the outward force on the walls of one’s blood vessels. This force can be too great in some cases and as a result, may cause damage to veins and arteries. Patients suffering from high blood pressure face many serious complications, such as vascular scarring/weakness, increased risk of blood clots and tissue/organ damage related to narrowed arteries.
Benicar works to ease the effect of chronic high blood pressure by prohibiting blood vessels from tightening. Olmesartan medoxomil, Benicar’s active ingredient, blocks the hormone angiotensin II from binding with associated receptors, which stops blood vessels from narrowing. This effectively lowers blood pressure and prevents vascular damage from occurring. Benicar was approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002 and is sold by Daiichi Sankyo and Forest Laboratories.
Potential Benicar Side Effects And Complications
In spite of the drug’s apparent success in many hypertensive patients, some have experienced a range of side effects after being prescribed Benicar. The Mayo Clinic lists potential side effects associated with angiotensin II receptor blockers like Benicar, including:
- Diarrhea
- A feeling of dizziness or lightheadedness
- Back and/or leg pain
- Nasal congestion
Patients with certain medical conditions, or taking certain drugs, also face the possibility of more serious side effects occurring. These include kidney or liver failure, tissue swelling, a decrease in white blood cells and allergic reactions. Due to the risk of birth defects, the Clinic cautions that women who are planning to become pregnant, or who are currently pregnant, should not take Benicar.
Benicar And Intestinal Complications
Patients taking Benicar are also at risk of developing sprue-like enteropathy. This condition is characterized by a grouping of gastrointestinal issues such as chronic diarrhea with accompanying weight loss, intestinal inflammation and erosion of villi in the wall of the small intestine. Because these symptoms mimic those found in celiac disease, patients suffering from drug-induced sprue-like enteropathy are often misdiagnosed.
Due to these side effects, the FDA has received numerous adverse event reports citing intestinal problems while taking Benicar. Consequently, in 2013, the agency issued a safety announcement regarding the use of Benicar for treatment of hypertension. In the communication, the FDA stated that it evaluated 23 serious cases that had been received by the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System. Through the evaluation, the FDA found evidence of a link between Benicar and sprue-like enteropathy. As a result, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., was required to add a warning describing the risk of intestinal side effects to the drug’s label.
Colorado Benicar Lawsuit
A study that examined 22 patients suffering from sprue-like enteropathy while taking Benicar. Fourteen patients required hospitalization as a result of their symptoms, which included chronic diarrhea and weight loss. While intestinal biopsies showed effects similar to those found in sufferers of celiac disease, further testing dispelled these results. Upon discontinuing usage of Benicar, patients regained an average of 27 pounds and 18 patients exhibited a decrease in intestinal inflammation in subsequent biopsies.
Drug makers must ensure that their products remain safe for patient use while also making any possible risks or complications known to the general public. Patients injured while using Benicar allege that the drug’s manufacturer Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. failed to provide sufficient warning to the medical community regarding these side effects. As a result, patients are claiming that the manufacturer should be held responsible for any subsequent injuries linked to the drug.
How A Colorado Benicar Lawsuit Attorney Can Help
Drug manufacturers have a duty to ensure their products are accompanied by full and accurate instructions and warnings to guide prescribing doctors and other health care providers in making treatment decisions. If a drug maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
Patients who have been injured by Benicar may be entitled to compensation for damages, including:
- Medical expenses
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Loss of income or ability to work
If a patient dies from complications after taking Benicar, his or her family members may be able to pursue claims for their loved one’s wrongful death. Compensation may include:
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish from the loss of a loved one
- Loss of financial support of a loved one
- Funeral expenses
Affected patients are encouraged to speak with a Colorado Benicar lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
Contact Us For More Information
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Colorado. You can fill out the form on this page, call us at the number listed at the top of the page, or email us at info@attorneygroup.com.
When you contact us, an attorney will follow up with you to speak with you about your case or 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 for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
See our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information, and contact Attorney Group for Colorado today.
