Medications like Benicar are commonly prescribed to treat patients suffering from high blood pressure (also known as hypertension). However, the medication has been linked to a number of potentially severe side effects in the form of severe gastrointestinal issues, including chronic diarrhea, and other complications. Affected patients may be eligible to file a New York Benicar lawsuit to seek compensation for their injuries.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for New York. 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.
What Does Benicar Do?
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, hypertension occurs when blood pushes through the arteries at a greater than normal force. While the rate of hypertension tends to increase with age, family history, obesity and alcohol consumption can all play a role in heightening risk. If left untreated, hypertension can cause a number of very serious health conditions to develop, including heart attack, plaque build-up in the arteries, stroke and even vision changes that can sometimes lead to blindness.
In order to prevent these damaging conditions from occurring, doctors often prescribe blood thinning treatments like Benicar. Benicar belongs to a class of drugs known as angiotensin receptor blockers, which are commonly used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and kidney disease. As described by Benicar’s manufacturer Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., the drug works by selectively blocking hormones from binding to their receptors, which are responsible for the tightening of the arteries. As arteries relax blood pressure is subsequently decreased, which diminishes the damage caused by hypertension to both the blood vessels themselves, as well as other organs.
Complications Linked to Benicar
Olmesartan is the active ingredient in Benicar, and this drug is linked to a number of side effects. The Mayo Clinic lists the following complications often linked to olmesartan:
- Intense thirst/hunger
- Difficulty sleeping
- A general feeling of discomfort or illness
- Lack of appetite
- Swollen neck glands that can be painful to the touch
Olmesartan has also been known to cause more serious side effects that require attention from a medical professional. These can include fever, trouble breathing, fatigue and/or weakness, blood in the urine and headache.
Gastrointestinal Side Effects
Benicar has also been linked to a condition known as drug-induced or sprue-like enteropathy. This condition is characterized by the National Institutes of Health as involving a collection of gastrointestinal symptoms that typically include weight loss, persistent diarrhea and villous atrophy, or damage to the inner lining of the small intestine. Similar symptoms are experienced by sufferers of celiac disease, which has led to many Benicar patients being misdiagnosed.
While the immediate effects of sprue-like enteropathy are difficult to manage, over time the condition can also impact the absorption of nutrients. Extreme cases have been known to warrant hospitalization, particularly when significant weight loss is a factor. Symptoms of sprue-like enteropathy can occur many years after a patient was initially prescribed medication, which further complicates diagnosis.
Benicar Lawsuits Filed
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved labeling changes to Benicar in 2013 as a result of numerous adverse event reports involving claims of chronic diarrhea and weight loss. These reports were echoed by a study conducted by the Mayo Clinic detailing the experience of 22 patients suffering from harmful gastrointestinal ailments related to Benicar. Upon termination of the drug, all patients showed significant improvement. Accordingly, the FDA to urged medical professionals to discontinue Benicar use in patients showing symptoms similar to celiac disease without underlying cause.
Reports of sprue-like enteropathy associated with Benicar has led a number of injured patients to seek legal representation. Many claim that marketing of Benicar failed to provide warnings about possible effects, which misrepresented the safety of the drug. As a result, patients were incapable of making an informed decision about whether Benicar’s stated benefits were worth the accompanying risk.
How a New York 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 New York Benicar lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
Contact Us for More Information
For more information, contact Attorney Group for New York. 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 New York today.
