Recent studies suggest that users of Prilosec may face an elevated risk of kidney damage.

Prilosec is also known by its generic name omeprazole. It was originally approved by the FDA in 1989 as a treatment for conditions caused by excess stomach acid, like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In 2003, Prilosec OTC became the first drug of its kind to be approved by the FDA for over-the-counter dispensing.

Prilosec is one of a class of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs. These drugs help resolve the symptoms of certain gastrointestinal diseases by reducing the amount of acid produced in the stomach.

Generally, PPIs are FDA-approved as treatments for actual, diagnosable conditions like ulcers, erosive esophagitis, or GERD. However, patients often use them to treat ordinary heartburn.

PPIs are some of the most widely-used drugs in the world. Tens of millions of persons have used Prilosec, thanks in part to its availability in over-the-counter form. AstraZeneca, Prilosec’s manufacturer, reports that annual sales of Prilosec aren’t what they used to be, but they still reach well into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Study Links PPIs with Kidney Damage

Despite their popularity and their apparent effectiveness at reducing stomach acid, Prilosec and other PPIs have been connected to some unusually troublesome side effects. Dementia and bone fractures have all been traced to PPIs like Prilosec.

Other studies suggest that Prilosec users could be at a heightened risk for kidney damage.

A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in April 2015 found a relationship between PPIs and acute kidney damage in older patients. Researchers found that PPI users were more than twice as likely to suffer acute kidney injury than were patients who did not take PPIs.

While earlier research linked PPIs with acute kidney conditions, a recent study showed they may also be related to chronic kidney disease.

The study was published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine in February 2016. Over a period of more than ten years, researchers followed the kidney health of more than 10,000 participants – some of whom took PPIs like Prilosec, and others who did not.

The researchers found an association between PPI use and a higher risk of incident chronic kidney disease. PPI users also had a higher rate of chronic kidney disease compared to users of H2 receptor blockers, a different type of acid-reducing medication.

The researchers also found that those who took PPIs twice a day had a higher rate of chronic kidney disease than those who took them once a day.

Despite the results of these recent studies, the labeling for Prilosec doesn’t include much information about kidney side effects. Side effects like interstitial nephritis, impaired renal function and nephrosis have been reported.

However, the labeling does not mention acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease. Patients who develop these conditions after taking Prilosec may not have been adequately warned about the possible link between Prilosec and these types of kidney damage. If you or someone you love suffered kidney injury after taking Prilosec, you may have a legal claim.