Benicar is a blood pressure medication sold by Daiichi Sankyo and Forest Laboratories. The drug is a member of a class of medications known as angiotensin II receptor blockers, or ARBs. While the drug has proven successful in lowering blood pressure for many patients, others have experienced severe gastrointestinal issues, including chronic diarrhea, and other complications after taking the drug. Affected patients may be eligible to file an Ohio Benicar lawsuit to seek compensation for their injuries.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Ohio. 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.
High Blood Pressure
According to the Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State University, blood pressure is the force of the blood placed upon the blood vessels as it is pumped throughout the body. Blood pressure increases and decreases naturally throughout the day, but when it remains elevated for a long period of time it can cause hypertension. This condition can lead to other serious health conditions, including heart attack and stroke, especially when left untreated.
In order to lower blood pressure to a healthy level, doctors often require that patients change their lifestyles by adding regular exercise and healthy eating to their daily routines. In addition, quitting smoking and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption can help, but there are some cases in which the only thing that effectively lowers blood pressure is the use of prescription medication.
How Does Benicar Help?
Benicar is one of several blood-pressure lowering drugs called angiotensin II receptor blockers. Angiotensin II receptor blockers are designed to prevent the release of the hormone angiotensin II into the bloodstream. According to the drug’s manufacturer, Benicar contains a medical agent that keeps angiotensin II from making the blood vessels constrict. When the blood vessels are constricted, blood flow is inhibited and blood pressure increases.
According to WebMD, angiotensin II receptor blockers also effect the hormones that regulate the water and sodium present in the bloodstream. The drugs cause excess water and sodium to be released from the body through urine, which also helps to lower blood pressure.
Complications Associated With Benicar
In 2012, the Mayo Clinic released a study in which the use of olmesartan, the generic name for Benicar, was connected to severe sprue-like enteropathy. This is a condition in which patients suffer from diarrhea, nausea, malnutrition and weight loss similar to those people who have been diagnosed with celiac disease. The study looked at 22 patients who were admitted to the hospital with these symptoms, all of whom tested negative for an intolerance to gluten. All were prescribed Benicar, and all had a reversal of their symptoms once the drug was discontinued.
Not long after the release of the Mayo Clinic study, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a safety communication in which the risks and complications associated with Benicar were outlined. The FDA had received numerous adverse event reports and had conducted a review looking into the claims made by patients suffering from gastrointestinal side effects while taking Benicar.
Ohio Benicar Lawsuit Filed
In 2015, an Ohio woman filed a lawsuit against Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., one of the manufacturers of Benicar, alleging that she suffered from chronic diarrhea and now has long-term intestinal damage caused by the drug. The woman had been prescribed the drug following a heart attack, and she claims to have followed all prescription instructions. In the lawsuit, the plaintiff alleges that Daiichi Sankyo failed to warn her of the possible gastrointestinal side effects by leaving that information off of the drug’s labels.
How an Ohio 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
- The permanency of the injury
- 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
Patients who have suffered severe side effects after taking Benicar, as well as the families of those who have died as a result of complications with the drug, are encouraged to seek the advice of an Ohio Benicar lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
Contact Us for More Information
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Ohio. 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 Ohio today.
