Benicar Diarrhea Problems Could Have Been Discovered Earlier

By Austin Kirk
Posted March 28, 2014

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The hypertension drug Benicar was on the market for more than 10 years before the first warnings were provided about the risk of sprue-like enteropathy. As a result many users have experienced chronic diarrhea from Benicar and other drugs containing olmesartan, often resulting in permanent gastrointestinal damage because the connection was not made between the symptoms and the medication.

Increasing evidence suggests that the drug maker knew about the risk, or certainly could have discovered the risk if adequate long-term studies had been conducted to investigate the potential side effects of Benicar.

As a result, the lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing potential Benicar lawsuits, Azor lawsuits and Tribenzor lawsuits for individuals throughout the United States who suffered:

• Chronic Diarrhea, Nausea, Vomiting and Weight Loss
• Sprue-Like Enteropathy
• Celiac Disease, Which May Have Been Incorrectly Diagnosis
• Villous Atrophy

Benicar was approved in 2002 for the treatment of high blood pressure. Drug maker Daiichi Sankyo put the medication on the market after only conducting minimal testing, with clinical trials that only followed patients up to three months

Amid aggressive promotion and marketing, Benicar has become a blockbuster medication, with more than 10 million prescriptions issued each year. Many critics are now raising serious questions about why the drug maker failed to conduct longer studies, especially since it is well known that most hypertension drugs are prescribed for six months or longer.

Reports involving Benicar diarrhea problems suggest that the symptoms may not appear until months or even years after an individual first uses the drug. Therefore, if longer studies had been conducted the drug maker could have discovered the connection and provided warnings for consumers and the medical community much earlier.

It was not until 2012 that the first information about the link between Benicar and diarrhea were first brought to the attention of consumers and the medical community. Independent researchers with the Mayo Clinic published a report describing 22 cases of chronic diarrea among Benicar users that were identified at clinics of the major medical provider in 17 different states. The patients were described as suffering symptoms similar to celiac disease, which the Benicar problems are often misdiagnosed as. However, researchers noted that when users stopped taking the medication the diarrhea issues resolved and they resumed taking the hypertension drug the gastrointestinal problems often returned.

Have You or a Loved One Suffered Chronic Diarrhea Problems from Benicar.

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In July 2013, the FDA officially issued a warning about the risk of sprue-like enteropathy from Benicar, indicating that a number of post marketing reports were identified involving patients with severe diarrhea, weight loss and other gastrointestinal problems.

As a result of the long-term complications, many of these cases involved evidence of villous atrophy, which can leave individuals with permanent intestine damage from Benicar, where the microscopic tentacles that line the wall of the small intestine erode

Villous atrophy following chronic Benicar diarrhea interferes with the absorption of nutrients, can reduce digestive capabilities and malnourishment and dehydration.

It appears that if Daiichi Sankyo hadn’t placed their desire for profits before the safety of consumers, they could have discovered these potential risks much earlier and hundreds of people may have avoided long-term injuries that now substantially impact their overall quality of life. As a result, former users may be entitled to substantial compensation through a Benicar injury settlement.

The Benicar diarrhea lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. provide free consultations and claim evaluations to help determine if individuals who suffered from chronic intestinal problems may be entitled to financial compensation through a product liability lawsuits. All cases are reviewed under a contingency fee agreement, which means that there are no attorney fees or expenses unless a recovery is obtained.

CONTACT OUR LAWYERS ABOUT CHRONIC DIARRHEA FROM BENICAR