Kim Gale  |  January 16, 2020

Category: Legal News

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Senior woman has blood pressure taken by a nurse.A variety of blood pressure medications are available, and some are safer than others for specific populations. Research has found some links between the ingestion of certain blood pressure medications and pancreatic cancer.

According to WebMD, researchers found that postmenopausal women who took a type of blood pressure medicine known as a short-acting calcium channel blocker (CCB) had an increased risk of pancreatic cancer of 66 percent compared to women who had never taken the drug.

Short-acting CCBs include Procardia or Adalat CC, both of which are generically known as nifedipine; Cardene IV, generically nicardipine; and Cardizem, generically diltiazem.

Women who took one of these short-acting CCBs for three years or more were found to have double the risk of developing pancreatic cancer compared to patients who took other kinds of blood pressure medications.

CCBs work by stopping calcium from getting into the cells of the heart and walls of blood vessels. This action lowers blood pressure by reducing stress on the heart, which doesn’t have to work as hard.

Zhensheng Wang, a postdoctoral associate at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, led the study.

What Other Blood Pressure Medications and Pancreatic Cancer Are Linked?

At least one lawsuit has been filed alleging valsartan blood pressure medicine contaminated with NDMA and NDEA, which are known environmental contaminants.

A woman filed a lawsuit alleging her father died due to an alleged link between his blood pressure medications and pancreatic cancer.

Plaintiff Denise Carr alleges her father took prescription valsartan between 2016 and 2018 to treat high blood pressure and heart failure.

According to the complaint, her dad took generic valsartan that was manufactured and sold by Camber Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Hetero USA, Inc., and The Kroger Company. Allegedly, the lot of pills he took was subject to a recall issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2018.

Around September of 2017, Carl Carr was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which the lawsuit alleges “was proximately and actually caused by his ingestion of contaminated valsartan.”

What Are NDMA and NDEA?

According to HealthLine.com, NDMA and NDEA are contaminants that are considered “probable human carcinogens” by the World Health Organization.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NDMA and NDEA can be byproducts of several manufacturing processes.

The recalled lots of valsartan may contain evels of NDMA and/or NDEA that are higher than the FDA has determined to be safe for human consumption.

How Much NDMA Was Found by the FDA in Recalled Valsartan?

The FDA posted results of tests on a variety of valsartan samples on Oct. 5, 2018, which found results ranged from 0.3 micrograms to 18 micrograms. The FDA has stated a level of NDMA that is considered reasonably safe for humans to ingest on a daily basis based on a lifetime is 0.096 micrograms per day.

The Blood Pressure Medications and Pancreatic Cancer Lawsuit is the Estate of Carl R. Carr, et al., v. Camber Pharmaceuticals, Inc., et al.,  Case No. 3:19-cv-00547-DJH, in the U.S. District Court, Western District of Kentucky, Louisville Division.

If you developed colorectal, esophageal, intestinal, kidney, liver, pancreatic, prostate, or stomach cancer after taking valsartan in 2015 or later, you may benefit from joining a free valsartan lawsuit investigation. Fill out the FREE form on this page for more information.

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