Sprue like enteropathy is associated with severe diarrhea and weight loss, and can often leave chronic gastrointestinal conditions like villous atrophy.

Similar to symptoms of Celiac disease, an immune condition that makes the body sensitive to gluten, sprue like enteropathy can often lead to chronic nutritional malabsorption problems.

Causes of sprue like enteropathy are highly diverse, from acid suppression to infections germs or adverse reactions from drugs.

However, it has recently been discovered that popular hypertension medication, Benicar (Olmesartan) may also induce sprue like enteropathy.

What is Benicar?

Approved by the FDA on April 25, 2002, Benicar is manufactured by Daiichi Sankyo and has become one of the most popular drugs to treat high blood pressure and hypertension.

Benicar is an angiotensin-receptor blocker (ARB), and works by relaxing blood vessels to widen and reduce stress. Benicar was first associated with sprue like enteropathy in August 2012, when the first reports on the potential link were published.

Currently, no other ARB medications have been associated with the development of sprue like enteropathy or other gastrointestinal conditions. Medical reports from the Mayo Clinic had spurred the FDA to require an updated label for Benicar in July 2013, along with other Olmesartan products addressing the risk of sprue like enteropathy and other medication risks.

Specifically, the FDA warned that Olmesartan may cause chronic diarrhea, weight loss, and even villous atrophy in the cases of chronic exposure.

Studies:  Sprue Like Enteropathy and Benicar

A recent case study published in the Jan 2014 issue of the Journal of Pharmacy and Therapeutics has suggested that Olmesartan induced enteropathy may be due to a biological hypersensitivity of the patients.

Researchers observed patients aged 57 to 81 who were prescribed Benicar and suggested that an association between Olmesartan and sprue like enteropathy was likely based on the fact that the patients had developed symptoms son after starting the medication.

The study participants reportedly experienced a 40kg weight loss while taking Olmesartan, with some developing villous atrophy.

Overall, the researchers concluded that further research was needed to investigate the link between Olmesartan and sprue like enteropathy.

Furthermore, in 2012, researchers at the Mayo Clinic published a case study identifying 22 other people who took olmesartan and developed sprue-like enteropathy. Of the 18 patients who had follow-up biopsies of their intestines performed after discontinuing Benicar treatment, all of them showed signs of improvement.

A year later, the FDA issued a drug safety communication that Benicar side effects may include sprue-like enteropathy after investigating over 20 adverse event reports of patients who had been diagnosed with the condition after using the drug. The agency found that symptoms of sprue-like enteropathy can develop months or years after the start of treatment.

Some of the Benicar consumers involved in the FDA investigation required hospitalization, but when these same patients discontinued use of the drug all reported improvement almost immediately.

Symptoms of sprue like enteropathy include:

• weight loss
• malnutrition
• dehydration
• abdominal pain
• fatigue
• diarrhea
• nausea
• anemia

Benicar Sprue Like Enteropathy Lawsuits

Even though Benicar (Olmesartan) has only been on the market since 2012, there have been enough injury reports to warrant concern form the FDA and prescribing physicians.

Olmesartan patients who experienced sprue like enteropathy, or other gastrointestinal side effects while taking Benicar may be eligible to file legal action. Potential claimants are encouraged to contact a specialized drug injury attorney, to determine if they are eligible to file a lawsuit.