To start my series on Nexium, Prevacid, and Prilosec, I would like to provide some background information on these drugs, as well as a quick overview of their detrimental side-effects.
For many years, popular heartburn and acid reflux drugs like Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid have been touted as safe by the drug manufacturers and doctors alike. However, there has been extensive medical literature linking them with kidney injuries for the past two decades.
These drugs are known as Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs), and are approved by the FDA to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), dyspepsia, peptic or stomach ulcers, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, and frequent heartburn (on a short-term basis). They may be obtained over-the-counter or by prescription.
As previously discussed, there have been numerous studies linking these PPIs to various kidney injuries. Unfortunately, patients have not been warned of the possible kidney-related side effects of these drugs until fairly recently, in 2014.
To make matters worse, those who have used Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid (amongst other PPIs) for an extensive period of time are at an even higher risk of kidney injury than those who simply use these drugs on a short-term basis. This occurrence is further discussed in the article, “How Long-Term Use Of Heartburn Drug Nexium Might Cause Kidney Problems.”
Some of the possible side-effects of these drugs are as follows:
- Acute Interstitial Nephritis (AIN)
- Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
- End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
- Severe Renal Impairment
- Kidney / Renal Failure
- Acute Kidney Injury
I will discuss these specific conditions in more detail in the next article of my Nexium / Prevacid / Prilosec series.
In the meantime, we will continue to monitor the medical literature concerning these PPIs and their link to kidney injuries.
Series Overview:
Article 1 – Overview and Background
Article 2 – The Devastating Side Effects
Article 3 – Why Weren’t We Warned Sooner?
Article 4 – Factors for Drug-Injury Lawsuits
Written by: Heather Helmendach, Legal Assistant
Law Offices of Thomas J. Lamb, P.A.
Drug Injury Watch: Side Effects News & Reports
Drug Injury Law: Medical & Legal Information