Over 200 cases of acute interstitial nephritis (kidney inflammation) have been linked to omeprazole, the active ingredient in the anti-heartburn drug Zegerid.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Zegerid induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with acute interstitial 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.
Zegerid Acute Interstitial Nephritis
Zegerid is a medication that combines baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) with omeprazole. It is available over-the-counter for the treatment of heartburn.
Just because Zegerid is easily available does not mean it is safe. In October 2004, AstraZeneca said it was aware of at least 200 cases worldwide. Unfortunately, warnings about nephritis were not added to the label until December 2014.
Nephritis is almost always caused by allergic reactions to medications. Over 100 medications are known to cause acute interstitial nephritis, including Proton-Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) and ibuprofen. Patients must stop taking all of these medications before they will get better.
What is Nephritis?
Acute interstitial nephritis is a type of kidney inflammation that occurs very suddenly and causes severe swelling in the interstitial tissue between tubules.
Warning Signs of Nephritis
Interstitial nephritis can occur at any time in patients taking Zegerid. The condition develops rapidly, but early symptoms are easily mistaken for other health problems. It may take several weeks for symptoms to become severe enough for a patient to seek medical attention. By that time, the kidneys may be seriously damaged.
Symptoms of Acute Interstitial Nephritis
- Swollen kidneys
- Abdominal or back pain
- Fever
- Skin rash
- Increased or decreased urination
- Confusion
- Tiredness
- Fluid-retention
- Swelling in the body
- And more
Complications
The kidneys are responsible for cleaning the blood. When they are not working properly, patients can develop metabolic acidosis, a condition in which there is too much acid in body fluids.
The longer nephritis goes untreated — or the longer a patient continues taking Zegerid — the higher the risk of permanent kidney problems. Patients may develop Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), high blood pressure, or end-stage kidney failure.
Do I have a Zegerid Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Zegerid induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with acute interstitial 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.
Attention Lawyers: We consider a referral from another law firm to be one of the greatest compliments. If your firm is interested in referring us a case or for us to send you a list of previous award judgments and/or average referral fees, please visit the Lawyer Referral section of our website.
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs' law firms and handles cases in all 50 states. We are very proud of our legal achievements, but equally self-respecting of our firm's reputation for providing personal attention to each and every client we represent.
