Benicar is a medication that is often prescribed to patients to treat hypertension or high blood pressure. While many patients benefit from the drug, some patients have experienced severe gastrointestinal issues, including chronic diarrhea, and other complications after taking the drug. Affected patients may be eligible to file a Pennsylvania Benicar lawsuit to seek compensation for their injuries.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Pennsylvania. 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 is Hypertension?
According to the Heart & Vascular Institute at Temple University, hypertension is the elevated force of blood against the walls of the blood vessels. Blood pressure is measured using a blood pressure cuff, which identifies the pressure right after a heart beat – systolic – and when the heart is resting between beats – diastolic. If these numbers are above 140/90, a patient is considered to have hypertension.
There are virtually no symptoms associated with high blood pressure, and it can develop very slowly over many years. When blood pressure is too high, it can damage the blood vessels, causing them to harden, as well as several other organs in the body, including the kidneys, heart, brain and eyes. Hypertension can sometimes be treated by a change in lifestyle alone, such as incorporating a healthy, low-sodium diet and exercise, but may also need medication in order to get measurements at a healthy level.
What is Benicar Designed to Do?
According to drug manufacturer Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., Benicar was originally approved for the treatment of high blood pressure by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002. By blocking a hormone called angiotensin II, Benicar helps to relax the blood vessels and allow for the improved flow of blood through the body. When angiotensin II is released in the body, it causes the constriction of the blood vessels, as well as the release of a hormone that causes increased blood volume and the retention of salt, both of which can raise blood pressure. Benicar was originally intended for use in adults, but in 2010 the FDA also approved it for use in children from ages six to 16 who live with hypertension.
Alleged Side Effects Associated With Benicar
Doctors at the Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, published an article in Case Reports in Gastrointestinal Medicine in which they looked at a 52-year-old female patient who suffered from severe sprue-like enteropathy caused by taking Benicar. According to the case study, the woman arrived at the hospital complaining of bloating, nausea, abdominal pain and chronic diarrhea that had been happening every day for a year. She claimed to have lost 45 pounds within a six-month period.
The patient had not traveled recently, changed her diet or medications, or come in contact with other sick individuals during that time. While being treated, the woman suffered from cardiac arrest and the doctors discovered a perforation in her colon. After testing negative for celiac disease, a condition with similar symptoms, it was determined that Benicar, which she had taken for three years, was the cause. After discontinuation of the drug, her symptoms subsided.
Benicar Lawsuits Filed
There are currently more than 1,000 lawsuits alleging similar side effects in the federal court system. Over the past year, most of these lawsuits have been consolidated into a multi-district litigation before a U.S. district judge in New Jersey. Many of the plaintiffs allege that although they stopped taking Benicar, they still continue to have long-term damage due to the gastrointestinal problems caused by the drug.
How a Pennsylvania 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 a Pennsylvania Benicar lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
Contact Us for More Information
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Pennsylvania. 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 Pennsylvania today.
