Recently, a Benicar lawsuit was filed by a woman who claims the hypertension drug caused her to suffer chronic diarrhea, severe weight loss, nausea and other intestinal health problems.

Plaintiff Joan B. of New York filed the product liability lawsuit was filed against the makers of Benicar (generic olmesartan), Daiichi Sankyo, for failing to adequately test their product before making it available to consumers.

Joan alleges that after taking Benicar as prescribed in 2007, she suffered serious side effects of Benicar that led to economic loss and injury, prompting her to file her Benicar lawsuit.

Her Benicar lawsuit joins a growing number of Benicar cases that allege similar complications.

What is Benicar?

Benicar is a popular type of medication used for treating high blood pressure (hypertension). It is a drug which stops blood vessels from narrowing, which lowers the patient’s blood pressure and increases blood flow.

Benicar is manufactured by Daiichi Sankyo which is a global pharmaceutical holding company and the second largest drug company in Japan.

Side Effects of Benicar

Some common side effects of Benicar are:

• Excessive weight loss
• Chronic diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Dehydration
• Malnutrition
• Intestinal damage
• Kidney failure
• Other gastrointestinal (GI) side effects

It has been reported that the drug can cause a GI condition known as sprue-like enteropathy, which causes symptoms similar to those of celiac disease.

Benicar Linked to Diarrhea Causes

In July of 2013, the FDA released a statement that the Benicar was linked to a severe diarrhea in dozens of individuals. Many of these patients had been diagnosed with celiac disease, based on the findings of a biopsy of their small intestines.

That biopsy showed the same destruction of the absorbing part of the gut mucosa seen in celiac disease, also known as celiac sprue. Celiac disease is an allergic-like reaction to the protein gluten, which is found in many grains.

In patients with the disease, exposure to this protein causes their immune system to mistakenly attack their own small intestines, destroying the absorptive layer of the gut and leading to the malabsorption and diarrhea causes associated with celiac sprue.

These patients, however, did not respond to a gluten-free diet, the usual treatment for celiac disease. And, it was noted, many were taking Benicar for their high blood pressure.

The link between the diarrhea causes and Benicar first came to attention after two patients mentioned that their celiac seemed to get better when they stopped taking their Benicar.

That led doctors to look for Benicar use in other patients whose celiac disease could not be controlled with a gluten-free diet.

These doctors found 22 patients that fit this description at their own institution, the Mayo Clinic. Like their first two patients, all of these patients got better when the Benicar was stopped.

Filing a Benicar Lawsuit

By filing a lawsuit against the maker of Benicar, you may be entitled to collect compensation for all current and future medical expenses related to the treatment of your GI disorder, as well as damages for pain and suffering.

In addition, filing a Benicar lawsuit can help hold the drug’s maker accountable for releasing an allegedly defective drug into the marketplace and to discourage other pharmaceutical companies from engaging in similar conduct.

If you or a loved one suffered from chronic diarrhea or substantial weight loss after being prescribed Benicar, a qualified personal injury attorney can determine whether you are eligible to file a Benicar lawsuit seeking compensation for damages.

Joan’s Benicar Lawsuit joins thousands of other similar lawsuits consolidated in federal multidistrict litigation known as In Re: Benicar (Olmesartan) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2606.