A couple from Kentucky has filed an injury lawsuit against drug maker AstraZeneca claiming that the wife suffered PPI kidney damage. Plaintiffs Mary and Robert R. claim that the defendant’s product, Nexium, caused severe kidney damage and was defectively designed.

The plaintiffs further allege that AstraZeneca fraudulently misrepresented the product and acted in violation of Kentucky consumer protection statutes. They have demanded a jury trial and are seeking damages for injuries, economic losses, attorneys’ fees and court costs, and loss of consortium.

Case Specifics

According to the complaint, Mary was prescribed Nexium, a proton pump inhibitor, which she took over a ten-year period between 2008 and 2018. This medication is normally used for the treatment of a number of stomach and digestive disorders, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), dyspepsia, ulcers and a certain bacterial infection (H. pylori).

Mary alleges that as a result of taking the medication for an extended period, she suffered acute kidney injury, resulting in chronic kidney disease and ultimately, renal failure.

Patients who experience renal failure due to PPI kidney damage are unable to filter liquid wastes and suffer from swelling due to fluid retention. Such patients must either undergo dialysis for the remainder of their lives or seek a kidney transplant.

What Are PPIs?

Proton pump inhibitors are a class of medications designed to slow the production of stomach acid. Available in both prescription and an over-the-counter version, these drugs disable the mechanism of a specific protein found in stomach cells that represent the final stage in the production of digestive acid.

Other medications in this class include Nexium (esomeprazole), Prilosec (omeprazole), Protonix (pantoprazole) and Dexilant (dexlansoprazole). First introduced in the 1980s, PPIs have proven effective for the short-term treatment of approved indications. Used over an extended period of time, however, these medications can cause a wide range of injuries and disorders.

PPI Kidney Damage is Only the Beginning

In addition to serious renal injury, long-term use of PPIs has been associated with stomach cancer, colitis, increased risk of stroke, accelerated aging, ascites , and dementia. Why these side effects and injuries occur is not precisely known. However, research indicates that the suppression of stomach acid allows the proliferation of harmful bacteria that compete with beneficial gut flora.

What Did Drug Companies Know?

The question common to injury lawsuits being filed against the manufacturers of these drugs is whether or not they were aware of the dangers of PPI kidney damage and other risks.

One thing that is certain is that these drugs are among the most frequently prescribed medications in the world, and represent a significant source of revenue for pharmaceutical companies. At least one pharmacologist has written an article in which he calls for physicians to stop overprescribing PPIs, and some health care organizations have removed PPIs from their formularies.

Holding Drug Makers Accountable

People who have taken any of these medications and have suffered PPI kidney damage or were diagnosed with a related disorder may be eligible to file a complaint against the manufacturers.

Mary and Robert R.’s PPI Kidney Damage Lawsuit is part of MDL No. 2:17-md-2789, U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.