Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals LP is facing a man’s recent PPI kidney lawsuit over allegations that he developed kidney disease after taking Nexium, a brand-name proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medication.

According to the PPI kidney lawsuit, plaintiff Steven G. is filing the lawsuit in New Jersey federal court and demands a jury trial.

Steven is a citizen and resident of the State of New Jersey and was prescribed Nexium in or about 2004 through the present date, the lawsuit states.

However, he says that had he known of the risks associated with taking Nexium, he would have never agreed to taking the medication. He became diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while taking Nexium as early as 2014.

The PPI kidney lawsuit was filed on multiple counts including defective design, failure to warn, breach of express warranty and punitive damages.

Overview: PPI Kidney

There have been several reports suggesting a link between heartburn meds like Nexium and Prilosec and kidney disease. Heartburn medications like Nexium and Prilosec are part of a class of medications known as PPIs or proton pump inhibitors. They are prescribed to treat heartburn, ulcers and acid reflux.

In the United States, nearly 15 million American have been prescribed heartburn meds. However, the total number of Americans taking heartburn meds is unknown, as over-the-counter versions of heartburn meds are also sold.

This is not the first time that heartburn meds have faced harsh criticism over adverse side effects and complications. Many researchers warn that heartburn meds should only be taking for a short time if one of these medications are required. Some medications that fall under the list of heartburn meds include:

• Nexium, Nexium IV, Nexium 24 HR
• Prilosec, Prilosec OTC
• Prevacid, Prevacid IV, Prevacid 24-Hour
• Protonix
• Zegerid, Zegerid OTC

A published study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology discovered how heartburn meds have been linked to kidney problems and kidney failure. A study also discovered that patients who were prescribed heartburn meds had a 28 percent increased risk for developing chronic kidney disease.

In fact, there was a significant correlation between PPI and chronic kidney disease development, as discovered in another study. In 96 percent of patients, another study found, those who took Nexium and Prilosec heartburn meds had increased risk for kidney failure, also known as renal insufficiency or renal failure.

The correlation between PPI and chronic kidney disease was also reported in a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in February 2016. The study was conducted after research demonstrated a correlation between acute interstitial nephritis, a condition known to cause kidney failure, and heartburn meds.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) later approved Nexium’s drug label change to include acute interstitial nephritis as a possible side effect and Nexium complication.

In addition to PPI and chronic kidney disease, heartburn meds are also linked to stomach cancer. In a published study from 2017, the study found heartburn meds to increase the risk for stomach cancer. The study also found that the longer the person takes the medication, the higher the risk.

If you or someone you know were diagnosed with PPI and chronic kidney disease or stomach cancer, you may have a legal claim.

The PPI Kidney Lawsuit is Case No. 2:16-cv-05143 in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Newark Division.