A woman from Arizona is joining thousands of others in filing a Benicar adverse side effects lawsuit against drug maker Daiichi Sanyko over severe gastrointestinal injuries.

Plaintiff Joenette M. was prescribed Benicar in February 2014 at the age of 47. In her short-form complaint she alleges that as result of taking Benicar she suffered serious gastrointestinal injuries including but not limited to weight loss, nausea, chronic diarrhea, and dehydration.

The Benicar adverse side effects lawsuit further alleges that the drug maker knew or should have known about the risk of Benicar gastrointestinal problems like chronic diarrhea, but failed to disclose the risk until after studies were released and a subsequent FDA warning.

What is Benicar?

Benicar (olmesartan) is a blood pressure medicine.  Specifically, it is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) medication manufactured by Forest Laboratories and Daiichi Sankyo, and commonly prescribed to keep blood vessels dilated in patients with high blood pressure to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack.

Angiotensin II is a protein that is found naturally in the body and acts on the cardiovascular system in a variety of ways, including controlling blood pressure. When angiotensin II is released by the body, it causes blood vessels to narrow, which increases blood pressure and makes the heart work harder to pump blood.

Benicar is designed to block angiotensin II, thereby preventing it from constricting blood vessels, and allowing blood to flow more easily through the body.

Possible Side Effects of Benicar

Benicar has been on the market in the United States since it gained FDA approval in 2002, but consumers are just now being warned that use of the popular blood pressure medicine may be linked to devastating side effects with long-term consequences.

According to mounting research, Benicar users may face an increased risk of serious medical complications, including the following:

• Chronic diarrhea
• Sprue-like enteropathy
• Considerable weight loss
• Intestinal damage
• Villous atrophy
• Colitis
• Celiac disease-like symptoms

Unfortunately, because patients and the medical community were not informed about the potential side effects of Benicar, many Benicar users experienced gastrointestinal problems like chronic diarrhea for years without realizing the problems were being caused by their blood pressure medication.

In many cases, Benicar side effects were misdiagnosed as Celiac disease, which resulted in continued use of Benicar and put patients at risk for hospitalization and permanent intestinal damage.

Benicar FDA Warning

In July of 2013, the FDA made an announcement stating that this medication would from that point forward include a label warning regarding the risk of Benicar side effects including sprue-like enteropathy. This announcement covered Benicar and drugs that were also marketed under the following names:

• Benicar HCT
• Azor
• Tribenzor
• Olmesartan medoxomil (generic equivalent)

The agency identified 23 serious cases presenting as late-onset diarrhea with significant weight loss and in some cases villous atrophy on biopsy. All patients improved clinically after discontinuation of olmesartan.

Filing a Benicar Adverse Side Effects Lawsuit

If you were prescribed Benicar and suffered gastrointestinal injuries such as chronic diarrhea, severe dehydration, or severe weight loss, it is important that you receive legal help immediately. Please contact an experienced Benicar attorney for a free case review.

Joenette’s Benicar Adverse Side Effects Lawsuit is filed within In Re:  Benicar (Olmesartan) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2606, U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Camden Vicinage.