Proton Pump Inhibitor® Lawsuit

Proton-Pump Inhibitor (PPI) heartburn drugs include Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid. The FDA has issued numerous warnings about side effects like nephritis, kidney problems, bone fractures, infections, vitamin deficiencies, and more.

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Proton Pump Inhibitor induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with kidney problems, 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.

UPDATE: Study Links PPIs to 96% Higher Risk of Kidney Failure

April 2016 — The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology has published a study linking the use of PPIs with a 96% increased risk of kidney failure and a 26% increased risk of chronic kidney disease. Click here to read more.

Overview

Proton-Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) are a class of medications that treat heartburn and acid reflux. They work by decreasing the amount of stomach acid secreted by glands lining the stomach.

FDA Warnings for PPI Side Effects

Interstitial nephritis (kidney inflammation)
Bone fractures
Hip, wrist, and spinal fractures
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Chronic diarrhea from Clostridium difficile infections
Low magnesium
Muscle spasms
Irregular heartbeat
Seizures

What Do PPIs Treat?

PPIs treat Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), a condition in which the stomach leaks acid into the esophagus. This causes painful burning sensation in the esophagus known as “heartburn.” PPIs also treat stomach ulcers and give the esophagus time to heal from damage caused by acid reflux.

List of PPIs

FDA Adds Nephritis Warning Label

PPIs have been on the market for decades and the first case reports of nephritis were published in 1992. However, it was not until December 2014 that the FDA ordered drug-makers to add stronger warnings about nephritis. By that time, the agency had received dozens of reports linking PPIs and nephritis, including case reports involving long-term dialysis.

What is Nephritis?

Acute interstitial nephritis is a kidney side effect caused by an allergic reaction to PPIs in the blood. Nephritis causes sudden swelling in the kidneys. It can be mild or severe, and about half of patients develop symptoms of kidney failure.

Symptoms of Nephritis

Blood in the urine
Fever
Increased or decreased urine output
Mental status changes (drowsiness, confusion, coma)
Nausea, vomiting
Rash
Swelling in the body caused by fluid retention
Weight rain from excess fluid

Studies Link PPIs and Kidney Disease

People who take PPIs once or twice a day are 20-50% more likely to be diagnosed with kidney disease, according to a study published in a study in JAMA Internal Medicine by researchers at Johns Hopkins University.

The conclusions of the study were based on data from 10,500 people who took a heartburn medication between 1996 and 2011. Compared to patients who used non-PPI heartburn drugs (Zantac, Pepcid etc.), patients on PPIs were significantly more likely to develop Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).

In April 2015, the medical journal CMAJ Open published a study concluding that people on long-term treatment with PPIs were 3-times as likely to develop nephritis and 2.5-times as likely to develop an acute kidney injury. Conclusions were based on data from nearly 300,000 older adults Canada who started taking PPIs between 2002-2011.

Complications of Kidney Disease

People with kidney disease can develop serious complications in almost every part of their body. Over time, the kidneys lose their ability to clean the blood. This can lead to high blood pressure, anemia (low red blood cell count), weak bones, nutritional deficiencies, nerve damage, heart disease, and more.

Do I have a Proton Pump Inhibitor Lawsuit?

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Proton Pump Inhibitor Lawsuit