Amanda Antell  |  March 14, 2016

Category: Legal News

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xarelto-gastro-bleedingPatients have been reporting Benicar problems since the FDA released a public warning in July 2013, stating that the medication would receive an updated warning label.

Benicar is meant to treat high blood pressure and hypertension. This new label would warn against severe side effects of Benicar, particularly addressing bowel problems and intestinal damage.

More specifically, the new warnings stated that Benicar may cause sprue-like enteropathy and villous atrophy in patients.

Sprue-like enteropathy first became associated with Benicar problems in 2012, when researchers from the Mayo Clinic noticed a correlation. Over the course of three years, the Mayo researchers had found that 22 patients had experienced adverse side effects of Benicar similar to symptoms of celiac disease.

The patients tested negatively for a celiac condition, but the researchers noticed their bowel problems improved after they ceased taking Benicar. However, some of the patients had gastrotestinal complications, needed hospital care, and had suffered permanent intestinal damage.

At the time of the FDA warning, the agency stated there had been at least 23 reported cases of Benicar sprue-like enteropathy and intestinal damage. Ever since this potential link has been made public, patients have reported certain side effects of Benicar indicating they had suffered injuries like bowel problems, severe weight loss and chronic diarrhea.

A number of patients have filed legal action against Benicar manufacturer Daiichi Sankyo and Forest Laboratories, alleging that the companies knew of these problems but had failed to disclose them.

Benicar Complications Allegations

In one Benicar lawsuit, plaintiff Jason W. stated that he experienced chronic diarrhea and sprue-like enteropathy soon after being prescribed the medication. After taking Benicar for high blood pressure, Jason experienced a multitude of Benicar problems along side the enteropathy, including rectal bleeding. His lawsuit further stated that Jason had been misdiagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, and later had to be hospitalized.

In another example, a woman from Mississippi added her Benicar claim to a multidistrict litigation (MDL) to join similar Benicar lawsuits.

Plaintiff Doris W. had been prescribed Benicar in 2009, and developed serious gastrointestinal complications soon after. Her Benicar problems became so severe that she later had to be hospitalized, and developed chronic gastrointestinal damage.

Overview of Benicar

Benicar was approved by the FDA in 2002, to be a treatment drug for adult patients suffering from hypertension and high blood pressure. Daiichi Sankyo toted Benicar to be overtly superior to any other drug in its class, especially in safety and efficiency.

From 2002 to 2008, the Japanese pharmaceutical giant spent approximately $1 billion in promoting Benicar. However, many complained that the company focused too heavily on the drug’s benefits and did not adequately explain the side effects.

Soon after the FDA released its Benicar warning in 2013, patients began filing claims describing similar Benicar problems including chronic diarrhea, substantial weight loss, sprue-like enteropathy, and villous atrophy.

Patients who developed the mentioned Benicar problems or suffered any other complications after taking the medication may be eligible to file legal action against Daiichi Sankyo.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or Benicar class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, Benicar lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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If you or a loved one used Benicar for at least four months and were hospitalized for severe gastrointestinal problems, you may have a legal claim. Submit your information now for a free case evaluation.

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Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are expected to be mailed out.