Recent reports say the popular heartburn medication Prilosec may be inducing kidney damage, with the more severe cases resulting in complete kidney failure. This has spurred many patients to wonder “Is Prilosec bad for your kidneys?”

Patients and doctors began searching for more answers to determine “Is Prilosec bad for your kidneys?” in late 2014, when the FDA approved a label change for Nexium to include interstitial nephritis as a possible side effect.

With Nexium being in the same medication class as Prilosec and interstitial nephritis often results in kidney failure, patients and doctors began to wonder “Is Prilosec bad for your kidneys?”

Recent injury reports and studies seem to indicate such, as patients taking Prilosec and other proton pump inhibitors (PPI) had a 96% increased risk of developing kidney failure while having an increased 28% increased risk of chronic kidney disease.

Approximately 15 million American have been prescribed Prilosec or another PPI at some point in their life to treat their heart burn, ulcers, or acid reflux. The medications work by reducing the level of acid production in the stomach, and ease the patient’s overall condition.

Is Prilosec Bad for your Kidneys?

Like other medications, Prilosec and other PPIs come with a list of potential side effects but it was not until recently that patients and doctors had to ask themselves “Is Prilosec bad for your kidneys?”

The true severity of this correlation is unknown, due to the availability of over the counter variations of the drug making the potential number of victims higher than the studies project.

One of the most recent studies published on this matter was the inquiry that found a 96% increased risk of kidney failure, which was published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

This study observed patients taking Prilosec and other PPIs to see if the patients suffered any form of kidney damage. This inquiry observed over 10,000 patients with healthy kidneys from 1996 to 2011, with one patient group taking proton pump inhibitors and the other type of heartburn medications, H2 blockers.

These patients were prescribed these drugs to treat their heartburn and were observed by researcher Dr. Benjamin Lazarus of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in Australia.

The researchers found a 50% increased risk of kidney damage in patients taking PPIs.

The results indicated proton pump inhibitors to have a much higher likelihood of kidney damage compared to H2 receptor blockers.

Kidney failure is a devastating condition that can be fatal if a transplant is not done in a timely manner, with patients most likely having to contend with long term dialysis to ensure survival.

Given the severity of this condition, it is no wonder patients are now asking themselves “Is Prilosec bad for your kidneys?” Patients taking Prilosec or other proton pump inhibitors should be vigilant against any signs of kidney failure such as anemia, changes in blood sugar, and other usual symptoms not mentioned on the warning label.

Patients who may have developed kidney damage after taking Prilosec or other proton pump inhibitor, may be able to file legal action against manufacturer AstraZeneca.

Potential claimants should contact a specialized lawyer to determine if they have a potential Prilosec kidney failure lawsuit.