A Massachusetts Nexium lawsuit may be an option for patients who have developed severe kidney problems after taking the medication to treat acid-related complications of the esophagus and stomach. Millions of Americans take medications such as Nexium to treat symptoms associated with acid reflux disease. However, Nexium, as well as other medications in its class, has been linked to serious, sometimes deadly complications such as acute interstitial nephritis and chronic kidney disease. Affected patients and their families may be eligible to file a Massachusetts Nexium lawsuit and seek compensation for their injuries.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Massachusetts. 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 Massachusetts Nexium lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease?
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, or GERD, is also commonly referred to as acid reflux disease. WebMD reports that common symptoms are caused by acid escaping the stomach and traveling up the esophagus. This can cause nausea, bloating, heartburn and burping. Some patients have reported unexplained weight loss and the feeling of having food caught in their throats – a condition called dysphagia. In order to be diagnosed as GERD, these symptoms will generally occur at least twice per week.
This disorder can be caused by physical abnormalities in the diaphragm muscles, but there are certain activities that can contribute to the condition. Some women experience acid reflux while pregnant, but obesity and certain medications can also aggravate symptoms. Body positions are known to affect the stomach’s ability to properly manage acid, such as when a patient lies down while eating or immediately after a large meal. While certain lifestyle changes can lessen the effects of GERD, many patients require medication in order to fully control the condition.
How Does Nexium Help?
While other drugs, such as antacids, are used to treat the acute symptoms of heartburn, patients can be prescribed Nexium to provide long-term benefits and allow healing to take place. Nexium belongs to a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which block the production of acid in the stomach. Drugs.com states that doctors will typically prescribe a short round of the drug, generally for one to two months, in order to allow sufficient time for the esophagus to heal. The drug is part of a family of medicines called proton pump inhibitors that are used to treat GERD and other disorders of the stomach by reducing acid production to limit negative effects to the esophagus. If a patient has not completely healed during the treatment time, another round of medication may be prescribed.
Nexium Common Side Effects?
While the drug has been shown to allow healing from GERD to take place, there have been side effects experienced by many Nexium users. The official website for the medication lists various ways that the drug can affect patients. Some of the most common include constipation, increased gas, drowsiness and dry mouth. Many of the more serious complications result from long-term use of the medicine, such as depleted vitamin and magnesium levels.
Unexplained weight loss and vomiting can develop if the lining of the stomach becomes inflamed. Other serious symptoms include muscle spasms or cramps, seizures and tremors or jitteriness. Allergic reactions can also occur, such as swelling of the face and throat, causing patients to struggle for breath. A rash may indicate an acute allergic reaction to the medicine.
Nexium Kidney Disease Risks
Other serious risks have been linked to the use of Nexium in addition to common side effects. Those risks include serious kidney problems such as acute interstitial nephritis (AIN), chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute kidney injury (AKI), and renal failure.
AIN is an often temporary condition in which the spaces between the kidney tubules become swollen or inflamed. According to a study published in the medical journal BMC Nephrology, a number of biopsy-confirmed case reports and retrospective descriptive reports have been published noting a potential connection between PPI use and AIN. This includes research published in 2006 citing three cases of esomeprazole-associated AIN.
Likewise, researchers have indicated that the use of PPIs such as Nexium was independently associated with a 20 to 50 percent higher risk of CKD, according to an article cited by The New York Times Blog.
AKI, or acute renal failure, occurs when the kidneys suddenly stop working. According to an article in the open-access online journal CMAJ Open, researchers examined older patients who used PPIs, including Nexium, between 2002 and 2011. The study indicated that those patients who started PPI therapy had an increased risk of AIN and AKI.
If left untreated, these complications can lead to more severe kidney problems such as renal failure. Renal failure, or kidney failure, may occur suddenly or over a period of months or years. The only treatment options available for renal failure are dialysis or kidney transplant.
Nexium Lawsuit Claims
In addition to these listed warnings, CNN states that studies have found that when people are prescribed proton pump inhibitors, like Nexium, their risk of suffering from kidney failure rises by 96 percent. The patients’ records were analyzed five years after they had completed treatment with a proton pump inhibitor and, in that time, kidney issues had been diagnosed in a large number of users.
One man in Illinois filed the first lawsuit against AstraZeneca, the makers of Nexium. In his suit, he claims that he had to undergo a kidney transplant after his kidney failed. He was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease after being prescribed Nexium for his heartburn. He alleges that the company knew of clinical studies and other evidence, which warned of injuries to the kidneys, at least two years before he was prescribed the drug.
How a Massachusetts 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.
The Time You Have to File a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact the Attorney Group for Massachusetts. 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.
