Proton Pump Inhibitor Lawsuits

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If you believe you have experienced chronic kidney disease after taking a proton pump inhibitor, you may have a claim for money damages. Please call Attorney Marilyn McGoldrick at 1-888-341-1405. or tell us your story online

A popular form of antacids known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have been linked with serious kidney problems and other serious side effects. These dangerous conditions include acute interstitial nephritis, chronic kidney disease, kidney failure and other debilitating effects which may result in hospitalization or death.

What are Proton Pump Inhibitors?

Proton pump inhibitors are a class of prescription and over-the counter medicines that treat heartburn and acid reflux.

Medications such as brand names Dexilant, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, and Protonix, and generics dexlansoprazole, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole, and rabeprazole are in a group of drugs called proton pump inhibitors, which aim to reduce the amount of acid in a person’s stomach. They are used to treat conditions such as stomach ulcers and acid reflux, as well as diseases such as gastroesophageal reflux disease and other esophageal-related conditions.

How Do Proton Pump Inhibitors Work?

PPIs work by blocking the production of an enzyme known as H+/K+ ATPase or the gastric proton pump. By blocking the production of this stomach acid enzyme, the drugs lets ulcers and irritations within the stomach and esophagus heal.

History of PPIs

The first PPIs were approved by the FDA in 1989. Today, proton pump inhibitor antacids are the most widely used class of prescription and over-the-counter drugs in the United States. PPIs have been marketed by many pharmaceutical companies over the years, including Abbott Laboratories, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Novartis, Procter & Gamble, Pfizer, Sanofi, Takeda, TAP Pharmaceutical, and Wyeth.

A Johns Hopkins study of more than 250,000 patients found that PPI users have a 20 to 50 percent higher risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) compared to nonusers.

What Serious Health Problems are Linked to PPIs?

In 2011, the advocacy group Public Citizen filed a petition asking that warnings be placed on PPIs for a number of side effects, including kidney injuries. In response, in December of 2014 the FDA added warnings to PPI labels for several conditions. One of these was acute interstitial nephritis, a dangerous swelling of the kidneys.

In 2016, chronic kidney disease (CKD) was identified as a risk by the Johns Hopkins study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Chronic kidney disease is a life-threatening complication because it may cause a gradual shutdown of kidneys, which may require the patient to have dialysis or get a kidney transplant.

What Are the Symptoms of Severe Kidney Disease?

Signs of kidney disease and/or failure include:

  • Too much urine (or not enough) leaving the body
  • Blood in urine
  • Foamy urine
  • Excessive need to urinate
  • Swollen legs, feet, ankles, and eyes
  • Fatigue or tiredness; trouble sleeping
  • Shortness of breath
  • Muscle cramps
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Back or abdominal pain or pressure
  • Nosebleeds
  • Dry, itchy skin
  • Seizures or coma
  • Death

What Can You Do?

If you are taking a PPI it is important that your medical team carefully monitor your kidney function. If you have been diagnosed with severe kidney disease after taking a proton pump inhibitor antacid, call the defective drug lawyers at Thornton Law Firm for a free consultation. You can call Attorney Marilyn McGoldrick at 1-888-341-1405 or tell us your story online  for a free, confidential evaluation of your legal claim. You have nothing to risk. We offer a fair and accurate assessment of your case.