Proton Pump Inhibitors Can Lead to Permanent Kidney Damage

If you take a proton pump inhibitor such as Nexium, Prilosec, or Prevacid to treat heartburn or acid reflux, you may be unknowingly putting yourself at risk for serious complications.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are very popular drugs in the medical profession and now that they are sold over the counter they have become even more popular and used by millions of people every year.

The fact is, about ten billion dollars are spent every year on PPIs, which have been around for about 20 years, and at any time, there are about 15 million people using these drugs.

The reason they are so popular is because they work. For people who suffer from acid indigestion, acid reflux, or ulcers, they are like miracles because they really alleviate the symptoms of these conditions. But the problem is PPIs have serious side effects as well.

The Problem With Proton Pump Inhibitors

Studies have found that PPIs may increase the risk of chronic kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease involves a gradual loss of kidney function. It can ultimately advance to end-stage kidney failure, which is fatal without dialysis or a kidney transplant

Researchers studied thousands of U.S. adults with normal kidney function. They found that those who took PPIs were more likely to develop chronic kidney disease compared to those who didn’t take the drugs.

In another study, data from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs was used to compare people who used PPIs to those who used an alternative known as an H2 blocker. The researchers found that patients that took PPIs had a 96% increased risk of developing kidney failure and a 28% increased risk of chronic kidney disease.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with:

• Chronic kidney disease;
• Acute kidney injury;
• Renal or kidney failure;
• Acute interstitial nephritis;
• A need for dialysis treatments, kidney removal, transplant surgery; or
• Suffered a related death after using a PPI

You may be entitled to substantial compensation.

Contact an Experienced Pharmaceutical Drug Lawyer

To protect yourself and fight for the compensation you deserve, contact a lawyer who has the experience, support staff, and resources to obtain the most compensation for your injuries.

Contact an experienced pharmaceutical drug lawyer today for a free case review. Strict time limits apply to filing a claim, so call today.