Medications like Benicar are commonly prescribed to treat patients suffering from high blood pressure (also known as hypertension). However, the drug 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 Tennessee Benicar lawsuit to seek compensation for their injuries.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Tennessee. 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.
Monitoring Blood Pressure
Most people probably recognize the blood pressure cuff that nurses in health care settings typically use. This device is used to measure the force against artery walls during the heart beats and between them. The two numbers are the systolic and diastolic pressure, and it is essential to keep them within normal range or the walls of the arteries, the internal organs and the heart could sustain damage.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), there are many factors that can affect blood pressure. For example, if excess cholesterol builds up along the artery walls, the narrowing effect makes it more difficult for the heart to push the blood through. To manage blood pressure, doctors often recommend cutting back on sodium and alcohol, eating a diet low in fats, losing weight and getting regular exercise.
Evaluating Medications and Side Effects
Sometimes, a patient requires more than a lifestyle change to lower blood pressure. The AHA points out that there are several types of blood pressure medications – also known as hypertensives. The manner in which these medications affect the body, including side effects, vary from person to person, and doctor typically reviews these carefully to determine whether the medication is right for a patient’s unique situation. The prescription choice depends on factors such as:
- Presence of other symptoms
- Source of the pressure
- Health of internal organs
- Other current prescriptions
Diuretics help the kidneys to eliminate excess sodium through the urine, and patients may experience gout, high blood sugar and low potassium as side effects. Doctors prescribe beta-blockers to control the heart directly, lowering the output, workload and rate. Some people experience side effects that may include slow heartbeat, impotence, and insomnia. A beta-blocker and diuretic may be combined.
Another cause for narrow arteries is the chemical angiotensin, which works with a receptor to cause the blood vessel to constrict. By preventing the chemical and its receptor from binding, an angiotensin II receptor blocker keeps the artery walls open wider to reduce the amount of force as the blood flows through. Dizziness is a potential side effect.
What Does Benicar Do?
One blood pressure medication that many doctors prescribe is Benicar. This drug belongs to a class of medications called angiotensin receptor blockers. According to its manufacturer, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., Benicar is designed to prevent the release of the chemical angiotensin II into the bloodstream. By doing so, the drug helps to keep the blood vessels relaxed and widened, allowing blood to flow more freely from the heart, and reducing the pressure on the vessel walls.
Benicar Side Effects
While Benicar is effective at reducing high blood pressure, there are risks associated with taking the drug. Some of the more common side effects associated with Benicar include back pain, headache, difficulty breathing, fever, chills and body aches. Because drug companies must list side effects in the drug information provided to doctors, pharmacists and patients, it is often fairly easy to identify issues and change prescriptions when a patient has an adverse reaction to a drug.
However, in the case of Benicar, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety alert indicates that the company did not include some essential information. This drug has now been linked to sprue-like enteropathy, which involves severe and chronic diarrhea, unexplained weight loss and other gastrointestinal issues. According to the FDA, patients may take the drug for months or years without symptoms and still be at risk for developing them.
Benicar Lawsuits Filed
The lack of information from the drug maker and a delay in the symptoms are the reasons many doctors did not identify the drug as the source of the problems, according to lawsuits that have been filed against the manufacturer, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. Many plaintiffs allege that the sprue-like enteropathy they experienced from continuous exposure to the drug caused permanent damage to their intestines or kidneys. Celiac sprue is a condition that damages the lining of the intestines so that nutrients cannot be absorbed into the system.
How a Tennessee 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 Tennessee Benicar lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
Contact Us for More Information
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Tennessee. 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 Tennessee today.
