A growing number of injured patients are filing lawsuits against Daiichi Sankyo over GI problems from Benicar.

Benicar (also known by its generic name, olmesartan medoxomil) is a popular blood pressure medication. Benicar is widely used to treat hypertension, and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for this purpose back in 2002.

Since its release onto the market, Benicar has rapidly increased in popularity, becoming one of the most widely used blood pressure drugs.

Benicar is not the only blood pressure medication to be introduced in recent years. Others include Benicar HCT, Tribenzor, and Azor.

These drugs make up a large portion of the blood pressure drug market—indeed, nearly two million people per year fill prescriptions for these olmesartan drugs.

However, despite the drug’s popularity, some patients claim that they have suffered from serious gastrointestinal problems from Benicar that can have long-lasting effects.

GI Problems From Benicar

Several studies have linked olmesartan drugs like Benicar with serious GI problems from Benicar. Among the possible GI problems from Benicar that have been reported are the following complications:

• Villous atrophy
• Sprue-like enteropathy
• Colitis
• Kidney failure
• Malabsorption
• Malnutrition
• Dehydration
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting/Nausea
• Abdominal pain

The FDA has responded to reports of these serious GI problems from Benicar. In July 2013, the federal agency issued a Drug Safety Communication warning about serious side effects of the drug, linking the medication to chronic diarrhea, weight loss, and gastrointestinal issues.

The FDA also introduced several label changes to reflect their acknowledgement of the potential GI problems from Benicar.

Lawsuits over GI Problems from Benicar

Indeed, as knowledge of GI problems from Benicar spreads, more and more patients are filing Benicar lawsuits against manufacturer Daiichi Sankyo.

Currently, over 1,250 lawsuits have been filed against Daiichi Sankyo over a variety of Benicar side effects, from chronic diarrhea to stomach pain.

Injured plaintiffs claim in their Benicar lawsuits that the drug’s manufacturers either knew or should have known about the risk of GI problems from Benicar, yet failed to adequately warn the public and the medical community about serious Benicar side effects.

Lawsuits further claim that, once the manufacturers became aware of the risk, they continued to market the drug as safe and effective in ways that were potentially misleading to consumers. Indeed, plaintiffs allege that, given adequate warning about the possibility of these side effects, they would have chosen a safer alternative.

If you or someone you love has suffered from Benicar side effects, you may be able to file a Benicar lawsuit. Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering of Benicar side effects, but it can help to compensate for any financial expenses incurred through medical bills or even lost wages.