Evidence linking Nexium and nephritis (kidney inflammation) has been growing since the 1990s, but labels were not updated until 2014. By then, dozens of cases were reported and some victims needed long-term dialysis for 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 nephritis, 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.
What is Nephritis?
Acute interstitial nephritis is a sudden allergic reaction in the kidneys that causes inflammation and swelling. Symptoms of kidney failure occur in about 50% of victims. Nephritis is responsible for about 15% of hospitalizations for kidney failure.
Nexium and Nephritis
The first case report linking Nexium and nephritis was published in 1992. Since then, dozens of cases have been reported. AstraZeneca reported 15 cases worldwide in 1994. In 2005, researchers in Australia published two case reports. In one case, a 63 year-old woman developed nephritis after taking Nexium for only three weeks. In another case, the victim required long-term dialysis.
FDA Adds Nephritis to Nexium Label
In December 2014, the FDA ordered drug-makers to add a section to the label on Nexium with stronger warnings about nephritis. The FDA warned that nephritis can occur at any time when patients are taking Nexium.
Studies Link Nexium and Kidney Side Effects
A study published in the medical journal CMAJ Open in April 2015 found that routine use of PPIs tripled the risk of nephritis. They also found a 2.5-fold increased risk of acute kidney injury. That study was followed by one published in February 2016 by JAMA Internal Medicine, in which the use of PPIs were linked to a 20-50% increased risk of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) compared to people who used non-PPI heartburn drugs.
Symptoms of Nephritis
Nexium-induced nephritis may cause non-specific symptoms that are easily mistaken for other illnesses. However, as kidney function decreases, patients often develop symptoms consistent with kidney failure. About two-thirds of patients develop allergic symptoms, such as fever, rash, and joint pain (arthralgia).
Nephritis symptoms may include:
- Less urination
- Urine may be bloody
- Malaise (generally feeling sick all the time)
- Poor appetite
- Nausea, occasional vomiting
- Swelling due to fluid retention
- Confusion
- Coma
- Fatigue and weakness
Complications
Researchers warn that permanent kidney impairment is a rather common complication of nephritis. In most cases, patients experience 6-8 weeks of rapid recovery, followed by approximately a year of slower improvement.
Diagnosis
Nephritis can only be conclusively diagnosed with a tissue sample (biopsy) taken from the kidneys. An ultrasound may also show that they kidneys are larger than normal. Fortunately, a biopsy is not usually necessary in mild cases of nephritis or when patients improve after discontinuing medications like Nexium.
Treatment & Prognosis
In the hospital, treatment typically involves intravenous fluids, anti-inflammatory corticosteroids, and dialysis. Patients who stop taking Nexium within 2 weeks of developing nephritis often recover near-normal kidney function in a few weeks. However, the longer treatment is delayed, the higher the risk of hospitalization for kidney failure or even death.
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 nephritis, 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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