An Indiana Benicar lawsuit may be an option for patients who experience serious health events, including severe complications affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Benicar is most commonly used to treat symptoms associated with hypertension, however, the medication has been linked to severe complications, such as sprue-like enteropathy. Affected patients and their families may be able to file a lawsuit and recover compensation with the help of an Indiana Benicar lawsuit attorney.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Indiana. Our consultations are free, confidential and without any obligation on your part. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated Benicar lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
High Blood Pressure and Artery Damage
As the blood is pumped from the heart into the arteries, it exerts pressure on the walls of these vessels. When this pressure remains too great for too long, the arteries may sustain permanent damage from hypertension and lead to stroke, kidney damage and heart disease. Symptoms are rare, though, and unless people regularly measure their blood pressure, the disease may take its toll without warning.
Hypertension Treatment and Medication
The American Heart Association points out that it is important for people with high blood pressure to make lifestyle modifications to lower risks. These include reducing or eliminating alcohol intake, engaging in regular exercise and eating a diet designed to lower blood pressure. However, these measures are often not enough to bring down the pressure to healthy levels. In these cases, health care providers typically prescribe medication suitable for the patient’s conditions.
The AHA notes that there are a number of different types of blood pressure medication. They work through methods such as easing the workload of the heart and reducing its rate, helping the body to get rid of excess salt and water, or relaxing the contractions of the heart and blood vessels.
What is Benicar and How Does It Work
Benicar is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, and according to EverydayHealth.com, it is one of the medications that works by relaxing the arteries so that blood can flow through them with less pressure against the lining. Doctors may decide this drug is not appropriate for a patient who is pregnant, has diabetes or kidney disease, or who has suffered a stroke or heart attack.
The manufacturer, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., cautions that many people who take Benicar may experience side effects such as rash, joint or muscle pain, dizziness or stomach pain. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that problems with the digestive tract may be much more severe than is indicated by the original information provided by the company.
Benicar and Sprue-like Enteropathy
In 2013, the FDA issued an announcement that the company must now include safety information on the label indicating that the drug may cause sprue-like enteropathy. This refers to celiac sprue, which is a reaction to gluten that damages the lining of the intestines until it is unable to absorb nutrients.
The symptoms of the Benicar reaction mimic celiac disease, and doctors have noted that they typically go away after the patient stops taking the medication. According to litigation against the drug company, some doctors who were unaware of the connection mistakenly diagnosed patients with celiac disease, and recommended treatments that did not alleviate the suffering. As a result, the prolonged exposure to the serious side effects then allegedly caused permanent damage to some patients’ gastrointestinal systems, such as kidney failure or diverticulitis.
Indiana Benicar Lawsuit Claims
Over a thousand lawsuits have been filed against Benicar’s manufacturer, and this has prompted the legal system to recommend that the cases from districts in Indiana and across the United States be combined and tried through multidistrict litigation. During this method, common information from the cases is consolidated and presented before a single district judge. This speeds the discovery and trial process, and ensures consistent results for plaintiffs with similar cases.
How an Indiana Benicar Lawsuit Attorney 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.
The Time You Have to File a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Indiana. You can fill out the form on this page or contact us by phone or email.
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.
