Nexium is a heartburn drug that has been linked to sudden kidney inflammation (nephritis) and chronic kidney disease. Both of these side effects can cause kidney failure.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Nexium induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with kidney failure, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Overview
Nexium contains esomeprazole, a medication that decreases the amount of acid produced by the stomach. It is used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also known as acid reflux or heartburn.
Nephritis and Kidney Failure
In December 2014, the label on Nexium was updated to include stronger warnings about kidney inflammation (acute interstitial nephritis). This side effect can occur at any time during treatment with Nexium and it is caused by a sudden allergic reaction. Without treatment, nephritis can lead to kidney failure.
Symptoms of nephritis include fever, changes in urine output, confusion, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, rash, swelling, blood in the urine, and weight-gain due to retention of fluids.
Nexium Linked to 96% Increased Risk of Kidney Failure
April 2016 — The use of PPI antacid medications like Nexium has been linked to a 96% increased risk of kidney failure and a 26% increased risk of chronic kidney disease in a study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Researchers based their conclusions on 5 years of data on nearly 200,000 veterans in St. Louis. At the end of the follow-up period, 15% of PPI users had developed kidney disease, vs. 11% of those on H2-blocker antacid medications. The use of PPIs for 1-2 years was associated with a 3X increased risk of kidney failure compared to people who used PPIs for less than a month. Although only 0.2% of participants in the study developed kidney failure, the risk was nearly doubled for PPI users.
According to the author of the study, Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly:
“I think people see these medications at the drug store and assume they’re completely safe. But there’s growing evidence they’re not as safe as we’ve thought. [Patients should] use PPIs only when it is medically necessary, and should limit duration of exposure to the minimum necessary to treat the underlying medical condition.”
Nexium Linked to Increased Risk of Kidney Disease
Nexium has also been linked to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), another side effect that can cause kidney failure. Researchers warn that a twice-daily dose of Nexium increases the risk of CKD by 46% and a once-daily does increases the risk by 15%, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in January 2016.
The conclusions of the study were based on data from nearly 10,500 patients who used heartburn medications between 1996 and 2015. Those who used Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) like Nexium were significantly more likely to develop kidney disease than patients on non-PPI heartburn drugs like Zantac, Tagamet, and Pepcid.
According to the lead author, Dr. Morgan Grams:
“The study doesn’t prove that PPIs cause kidney disease and we don’t want to cause alarm. … One approach for patients who require a long course of PPIs would be to routinely monitor their kidney function.”
Complications of Kidney Failure
About half of people who develop nephritis also show signs of kidney failure. Over time, diseased kidneys progressively lose their ability to clean the blood. Toxins accumulate and cause health problems in nearly every part of the body. Complications may include:
- Anemia
- Weak bones
- Bleeding in the stomach and intestines
- Blood-sugar changes
- Nerve damage in the limbs
- Fluid around the lungs
- High blood pressure, heart attack, or heart failure
- Liver damage
- Increased risk of infections
- Stroke
- Seizure
- And more
Treatment for Kidney Failure
When the kidneys start to fail, patients will need either dialysis or a kidney transplant to do the work of the kidneys. Both of these treatments have advantages and disadvantages. Because there is a long waiting list for healthy donor kidneys, many people undergo dialysis for years before they are eligible for a transplant.
Do I have a Nexium Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Nexium induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with kidney failure, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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