A Louisiana man recently filed a Nexium lawsuit against manufacturer AstraZeneca, alleging the heartburn medication led to serious kidney injuries.

The plaintiff, Robert B., began taking Nexium at the direction of his doctor in 2003 to treat heartburn, and used the medication sporadically for a number of years. Unfortunately, Robert alleges, the use of this drug led to serious kidney problems. Because of Nexium, Robert claims, he now suffers from chronic renal insufficiency.

Essentially, chronic renal insufficiency is poor function of the kidneys, which may lead to dangerously high blood pressure or even kidney failure.

In this Nexium lawsuit, Robert alleges that his problems with chronic renal insufficiency was directly caused by ingesting Nexium. Despite the risk of chronic renal insufficiency and other serious side effects linked with Nexium, Robert was not adequately warned about these risks, the Nexium lawsuit alleges. Had he been properly warned, he claims, he would have chosen a safer alternative.

Robert filed his Nexium lawsuit on multiple counts, including defective design, failure to warn, breach of express warranty, and punitive damages.

Background of Nexium

Nexium (also sold under its generic name, esomeprazole magnesium) is a proton pump inhibitor medication manufactured by AstraZeneca. Proton pump inhibitor drugs, or PPIs, are a form of heartburn treatment. PPIs like Nexium work by reducing the gastric acid in a patient’s stomach.

PPIs are some of the most widely used medications in the United States, and Nexium is one of the more popular options. In fact, more than 15 million Americans were prescribed PPI medications in the year 2013 alone. Other PPI drugs are available over-the-counter, such as Nexium, which means that the number of patients using PPIs is much higher than this estimate.

Unfortunately, despite the popularity of PPI medications, they have actually been linked with a number of serious side effects. PPI users claim that they were not adequately warned about the risk of some of these complications.

Nexium Side Effects

Side effects of PPI drugs like Nexium can include chronic renal insufficiency and chronic kidney disease, according to patient reports. The loss of kidney function over time is a serious condition. When a person’s kidneys don’t function properly, excess fluids and wastes build up in the body, which can become quite dangerous.

In order to treat these side effects, some patients may simply be taken off of the medication. For others, however, the condition has progressed to the point where effects have become permanent.

Filing a Nexium Lawsuit Over Side Effects

If you or someone you love has experienced PPI drug side effects like chronic renal insufficiency or chronic kidney disease after using Nexium or another proton pump inhibitor drug, you may be able to file a Nexium lawsuit and receive compensation.

The Nexium Lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-11208-CCC-MF, in the U.S. District Court for the Newark Division of the District of New Jersey.