AstraZeneca LP is facing a new Prilosec lawsuit from a grieving woman alleging the wrongful death of her mother. In her Prilosec lawsuit, the woman alleges her mother’s death was directly caused by the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drug and that the company failed to adequately warn about this risk.

Maryland plaintiff Charlene C. is filing the Prilosec lawsuit on behalf of her late mother Thelma C., who had taken the PPI to help lower blood pressure. Charlene alleges Prilosec had directly caused her mother’s kidney problems, which ultimately led to Thelma’s death on May 19, 2015.

Charlene says Thelma used the medication for typical treatment purposes and did not deviate from medication instructions. As early as 1999, Thelma reportedly used Prilosec, Protonix, and Prevacid on multiple occasions to treat heartburn.

She was also prescribed the medications on multiple occasions and followed all physician advice. Even with this diligence, Thelma still allegedly developed life threatening side effects, according to Charlene.

She was diagnosed after it was noticed her kidney function began to decline, which eventually led to her death. At all times relevant, the pharmaceutical companies gave no disclosures to Thelma or her physicians and did not provide any relevant studies of the drug’s risks. Now Charlene is filing this Prilosec lawsuit on behalf of her mother alleging the companies failed to warn against potential kidney damage.

Overview of PPIs and Kidney Damage

Prilosec is a part of the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medication class, which is prescribed to millions in the United States on a daily basis. With over the counter variants available, the total number of PPI users is likely much higher. In 2013, it was estimated that over 15 million Americans used prescription PPIs for heartburn and similar conditions.

Prilosec and other PPIs are used to treat conditions including heartburn, acid reflux, peptic ulcers, and dyspepsia. These medications work by inhibiting the secretion of stomach acid and shutting down acid production in the stomach, ultimately calming down bad gastrointestinal reactions.

These medications have been linked to serious kidney problems though, with one study finding a significantly increased risk. According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, researchers found that patients prescribed PPIs had a 96 percent increased risk of kidney failure, as well as a 28 percent increase risk of chronic kidney diseases.

These patients were compared to subjects who were prescribed a different set of heartburn medications: histamine H2 receptor blockers. It was discovered patients prescribed PPIs experienced higher risk of kidney problems than those on H2 blockers.

Another study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), also found a link between PPIs and chronic kidney disease. The study found that PPIs may also induce acute interstitial nephritis, which is a condition that often develops into kidney failure.

In late 2014, the FDA approved a label update for Nexium to include acute interstitial nephritits as a potential complication. Even though the risk of potential kidney problems was well documented, AstraZeneca and the other pharmaceutical companies allegedly failed to warn, according to plaintiffs like Charlene.

Charlene alleges her mother’s death was directly caused by the PPIs she took. She is filing this Prilosec lawsuit with claims of wrongful death and negligence. Charlene states her mother never would have opted for the medication if Thelma had known about the threat of potential kidney failure.

This Prilosec Lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-10525-CCC-MF, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Newark Division.