Acid Reflux Medication: Kidney Damage or Other Harmful Side Effects

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings linking AcipHex, Protonix, and Prevacid, among other proton-pump inhibitors, due to kidney inflammation and an increased risk of kidney failure. The Indianapolis personal injury attorneys at Wilson Kehoe Winingham are now accepting cases for people who have taken AcipHex, Prevacid, or Protonix for at least two weeks and have been diagnosed with renal disease or kidney failure.

What Are Proton-Pump Inhibitors?

AcipHex and Protonix are two proton-pump inhibitor prescription drugs that help decrease the amount of acid produced in the stomach. They can be used as a short-term treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), heartburn, stomach ulcers, and esophageal damage. Limiting acid production in the stomach can relieve irritation of the esophagus, stomach lining, and other tissues inside the body. Prevacid, or lansoprazole, is a lower-strength proton-pump inhibitor that can also help control excess acid production in the stomach. Prevacid is available over the counter at most pharmacies.

Aciphex, Protonix, and Prevacid Linked to Renal Disease

Aciphex, Protonix, and Prevacid have each been linked to renal disease and interstitial nephritis. End-stage renal disease, also known as kidney failure or chronic kidney disease, is a serious condition in which the kidneys suffer irreparable damage. Proper kidney function is essential to good health. A damaged kidney fails to remove waste after digestion, stimulate red blood cell production, and regulate blood pressure, among other things. While kidney failure can be treated, there is no known cure, and serious cases may ultimately require long-term dialysis treatment or a kidney transplant.

AcipHex and Interstitial Nephritis

Interstitial nephritis is a disease that involves swelling between the kidneys and the kidney tubules, affecting the kidney’s ability to function properly. This disease can be caused by bacterial infection, but most often it is linked to the use of proton-pump inhibitor drugs such as AcipHex. While serious, interstitial nephritis is often treatable and most cases are temporary. You may be suffering from interstitial nephritis if you experience the following symptoms:

• Decrease in urine output or the appearance of blood in the urine
• Swelling in the body or weight gain as a result of fluid retention
• Nausea, fatigue, vomiting, or fever
• Elevated blood pressure

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that patients taking proton-pump inhibitors were at a higher risk of kidney damage than those off of the medication. Out of 322 patients taking proton-pump inhibitors, 56 of them suffered from subsequent kidney problems. Unfortunately, not all patients who take AcipHex or Prevacid are fully aware of the associated health risks.

Why File a Kidney Failure Lawsuit?

Pharmaceutical companies have the responsibility to inform both the medical community and the public of the associated risks and side effects of taking their medication. While compensation won’t take away the pain and health damages you’ve suffered as a result of taking Aciphex, Protonix, or Prevacid, it can help your recovery process.

Those injured by proton-pump inhibitors are suing pharmaceutical companies who manufacture Aciphex, Protonix, and Prevacid for allegedly knowingly withholding harmful side effects.

Contact a Drug Injury Attorney Today

Nothing you do for your health should further endanger your body. There is help available to you if you have suffered as a result of medical misinformation.

If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of a defective drug, you are urged to contact the Indianapolis Drug Injury Attorneys of Wilson Kehoe Winingham. The lawyers at WKW can help you get the compensation you deserve. Call 317.920.6400 or fill out an online contact form for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

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