A Benicar lawsuit has alleged that the drug caused a patient to suffer from celiac disease symptoms.

According to her Benicar lawsuit, Brenda D. Baugh of Ohio was prescribed Benicar in order to improve her blood pressure. But during the time she took the drug, she experienced a variety of apparent celiac disease symptoms.

These symptoms included chronic diarrhea, which was so severe that Baugh allegedly suffered from extreme weight loss, anemia, and even kidney problems since her body could not retain the nutrients it needed. Her Benicar lawsuit alleges that Benicar was the cause of her celiac disease symptoms.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder wherein the immune system goes haywire and attacks certain tissues in the intestines. This causes a host of symptoms, most stemming from chronic diarrhea, inflammation of the bowels, and poor absorption of nutrients.

Usually, adopting a strict gluten free diet can mitigate or even eliminate symptoms, as gluten seems to trigger the disorder in susceptible individuals. However, a subset of patients with celiac disease symptoms do not respond to changes in diet, leaving them to suffer from chronic diarrhea and other painful, debilitating symptoms.

Celiac disease belongs to a complicated group of similar diseases with similar symptoms.

In July 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Drug Safety Announcement and mandated changes to Benicar’s labeling to reflect a growing awareness of the risk of what the agency termed “sprue-like enteropathy.”

Sprue-like enteropathy is an umbrella term for a variety of disorders like celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and villous atrophy. This constellation of related diseases produces similar symptoms and may overlap with each other.

Baugh’s Benicar lawsuit alleges that this is the earliest she could have realized that her celiac disease symptoms were caused by Benicar, and that she suffered needlessly during the interim.

Baugh’s Benicar lawsuit holds that the makers of the drug were aware—or reasonably should have been aware—of the serious risks associated with their drug. Under federal law, drug makers have a legal responsibility to thoroughly test their drugs for both efficacy and safety, as well as an obligation to monitor postmarket reports and medical journals for signs of unforeseen consequences.

Baugh’s Benicar lawsuit holds that she suffered needlessly through repeated in-patient hospital visits and may have permanent damage to her internal organs, when discontinuing Benicar could have resolved her symptoms. Baugh’s Benicar lawsuit seeks to recoup the cost of past and future medical care, as well as lost wages and legal fees.

The Benicar Lawsuit is Brenda D. Baugh v. Daiichi Sankyo Inc., et al., Case No. 2309, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division.