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 chronic diarrhea, intestinal problems and weight loss. Affected patients may be eligible to file a Mississippi Benicar lawsuit to seek compensation for their injuries.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Mississippi. 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.
Dangers of High Blood Pressure
According to the Mississippi State Department of Health, over 700,000 residents have high blood pressure with possibly thousands more at risk of developing the condition. Hypertension occurs when the force of the blood pumping from the heart is at an elevated level for an extended period of time. Any blood pressure level of 140/90 or above is considered too high, and leaving it untreated can lead to serious health consequences. Common conditions that can be caused by high blood pressure include:
- Blindness
- Kidney failure
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
While blood pressure may be controlled by eating a healthy diet, maintaining an active lifestyle and giving up harmful habits, such as smoking or drinking alcohol in excess, many people require prescription medication to keep blood pressure levels within a healthy range.
How Does Benicar Work?
One class of medication that many doctors find effective in lowering blood pressure are angiotensin II receptor blockers. According to the Mayo Clinic, these drugs work to relax the blood vessels, which can make pumping blood easier on the heart while lowering pressure. Angiotensin II is a substance that is naturally present in the body. The cardiovascular system is affected by this substance in several ways. When angiotensin is released in the bloodstream, it causes the blood vessels to contract, which can in turn cause blood pressure to build. In addition, angiotensin can cause a hormone to be released that increases the quantity of water and sodium in the blood, both of which can increase blood pressure.
Benicar is one of several angiotensin II receptor blockers available for prescription use today. There are several side effects associated with this class of drug, but one that is specific to Benicar is sprue-like enteropathy.
Benicar Side Effects
In 2012, the Mayo Clinic released a study that was performed between 2008 and 2011 in which researchers looked at the evaluation of 22 patients suffering from sprue-like enteropathy symptoms. This condition has symptoms similar to those found in patients suffering from celiac disease, including chronic diarrhea, significant weight loss, malnutrition and the atrophy of intestinal lining. In the study, none of the patients were found to be gluten-intolerant, but all were taking Benicar. Once the prescription was stopped, the patients recovered from the gastrointestinal distress that had caused hospitalization.
After the release of the study and following an investigation into numerous adverse event reports in 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a safety announcement in which the agency warned of the potential risk of developing sprue-like enteropathy when taking the drug. The FDA required the manufacturers to include a warning label in order to provide the necessary information patients and doctors need to know before taking Benicar.
Benicar Lawsuits Filed
In December 2015, a Mississippi woman joined thousands of plaintiffs involved in a federal multidistrict litigation against Benicar’s manufacturers, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., and Forest Laboratories. The 53-year-old woman claims that she developed kidney failure after long-term diarrhea, dehydration and other gastrointestinal symptoms while taking Benicar. According to the plaintiff, the chronic condition has led to permanent, irreversible damage.
How a Mississippi 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 Mississippi Benicar lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
Contact Us for More Information
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Mississippi. 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 Mississippi today.
