A Missouri Benicar lawsuit may be an option for patients who have suffered severe intestinal complications after taking the medication to treat high blood pressure. In some cases, doctors may prescribe medications such as Benicar to treat people with high blood pressure. However, many people who took Benicar say that they grappled with effects such as severe gastrointestinal issues, including sprue-like enteropathy. Affected patients and their families may be able to pursue a claim and pursue compensation with the help of a Missouri Benicar lawsuit attorney.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Missouri. 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.
Benicar and High Blood Pressure
Benicar is prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure. Many people in the United States may not know that they have had high blood pressure for several years, or that they even have the condition at all, explains the Mayo Clinic. That said, nosebleeds, headaches or other signs indicate the condition in some people but usually not at an early stage. In fact, a person’s risk for conditions such as heart disease may increase year after year due to high blood pressure while no symptoms manifest themselves. Doctors do have ways, such as arm cuffs, of checking blood pressure levels, and these methods are how people tend to find out they have the condition.
Benicar Side Effects
According to MedlinePlus, Benicar, also called olmesartan, may cause several side effects including:
- A hoarse voice
- Problems with swallowing
- Diarrhea
- Swelling of various body parts such as the tongue or ankles
Less-severe side effects of the drug include rashes, dizziness and back pain, while dark urine or muscle pain may signal that a user is experiencing serious side effects. Benicar should never be taken in circumstances such as when a woman is in her final six months of pregnancy. As a rule of thumb, women hoping to become pregnant or women who are already pregnant should refrain from taking this drug. Otherwise, grave harm to the fetus could occur.
Benicar and Sprue-Like Enteropathy
According to Everyday Health, side effects such as gastrointestinal problems and tremendous weight loss led to heightened U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warnings. In a safety announcement issued by the federal agency in 2013, the FDA warns that Benicar can cause intestinal problems known as sprue-like enteropathy. As a result, the FDA approved changes to the labels of the drug to include this concern.
Symptoms of sprue-like enteropathy include severe, chronic diarrhea and substantial weight loss. The condition can develop months to years after starting the medication, and can sometimes require hospitalization.
Missouri Benicar Lawsuit Claims
Benicar’s manufacturer, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., has been on the receiving end of several lawsuits alleging issues such as sprue-like enteropathy, from which diarrhea and weight loss may occur. Plaintiffs in these lawsuits say that Daiichi Sankyo did not adequately explain about Benicar risks prior to the enhanced FDA warning in 2013.
Moreover, some plaintiffs claim that Benicar is misleadingly marketed to sound more successful than it really is and that its danger levels do not have to be as high as they are. Benicar lawsuits include 10 plaintiffs in New Jersey with a trial expected to commence in 2017 once depositions and pretrial motions are complete. In the past few years, thousands of lawsuits have been filed, and many have been consolidated for pretrial proceedings.
One source of frustration for quite a few Benicar plaintiffs is the fact that Benicar side effects are easy to mistake for celiac disease, so they were misdiagnosed. Plaintiffs say that Daiichi Sankyo added to their troubles and aided in their misdiagnoses by failing to address this potential side effect of the drug.
How a Missouri 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 Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Missouri. 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.
