Even though proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have been prescribed for acid reflux and related issues for decades, doctors are becoming increasingly concerned about the long-term use of omeprazole (brand name Prilosec) and esomeprazole (brand name Nexium). Increased risks of Nexium stomach cancer, kidney problems and even pneumonia have been associated with using PPIs for several years.

What Do Proton Pump Inhibitors Do?

The Pharmaceutical Journal explains that PPIs work by inhibiting the secretion of gastric acid in the parietal cells, which are located in the gastric glands in the stomach’s lining.

According to the Pharmaceutical Journal, people who produce excessive amounts of gastric acid may suffer from gastric ulcers, acid reflux disease, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus. All of these maladies are often marked by persistent heartburn or acid indigestion.

Omeprazole and other PPI medications are quite common. In fact, PPI drugs are some of the most widely used medications in the U.S., with about 15 million people using PPIs every year.

While PPI medications are used to treat gastrointestinal problems like frequent heartburn, studies have recently shown that as many as 70 percent of people who take PPI drugs do not actually get any benefits from this usage.

What Are the Potential Short-term Side Effects of PPIs?

Some patients experience nausea or headaches with the use of PPIs. Some patients may also experience abdominal pain, vomiting, gas, or diarrhea.

What Problems Might Long-Term Use of Omeprazole Cause?

Long-term use of PPIs may result in a patient developing chronic kidney disease. According to verywellhealth.com, studies indicate patients who depend upon PPI medications for more than 10 years have a 12.5 percent risk of chronic kidney disease when compared to the general population, who have an 8.5 percent risk.

The Pharmaceutical Journal also notes that long-term use of omeprazole or similar PPIs is known to cause acute interstitial nephritis, a kidney condition marked by swelling between the kidney’s tubules.

Increased urination, bloody or dark urine, nausea or vomiting, fever, rash, high blood pressure, confusion, swelling or sudden weight gain may indicate kidney problems.

Are Long-Term PPI Users at Increased Risk of Stomach Cancer?

At least two studies have linked long-term PPI use with an increased risk of stomach cancer.

When food enters the stomach, G cells in the stomach lining release gastrin in the blood. When the blood levels of gastrin rise, the stomach releases gastric acid to help digest the food. It appears that PPI use causes an increase of gastrin in the blood, which has been linked to an increase of cancerous tumors.

According to Helder Lyder Waldum of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at St. Olav’s University Hospital in Norway, “the gastric cancer risk linked to PPI treatment should have been anticipated as early as in the late 1980s.”

Is Pneumonia a Complication of PPI Overuse?

Possibly. Harvard Health reported on a 2007 study conducted by Danish scientists which found that PPI use was linked to a 50 percent increase in pneumonia, but another, conducted in 2008 by the University of Pennsylvania, found no association between pneumonia and long-term PPI. Researchers in that study used data from a large British database of patient records.

The latter study did find that people who began using PPIs in the previous 30 days had more pneumonia than those who did not use the antacid, however researchers believe the reasons have nothing to do with acid suppression.

A lack of stomach acid can cause stomach bacteria to flourish. When we sleep, we are apt to have tiny amounts of stomach contents travel up the esophagus and over into the trachea. This process is called aspiration, and it’s likely to occur in even healthy populations. If excess bacteria are present in the stomach contents mixture, that small amount of aspiration can cause the bacteria to be inhaled into the lungs and spark pneumonia.

Filing an Omeprazole Lawsuit

A growing number of patients taking omeprazole and other PPI medications are turning to litigation. Lawsuits allege that patients’ use of PPI drugs has led to serious health complications, including kidney damage, cardiovascular issues, and stomach cancer, among others.

According to this litigation, the manufacturers of these PPI drugs either knew or should have known about the serious health risks associated with their drugs, yet failed to adequately warn patients and the medical community about these risks.

If you or someone you love has suffered from these or other side effects of Prilosec or other PPIs, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. While filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by these health complications, nor can it bring a loved one back to life, it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses, lost wages, and more.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.