According to new research, Prilosec side effects may include such major complications as kidney failure and kidney damage.

Prilosec is a popular heartburn medication widely used across the country. Around 15 million individual Americans filled prescriptions for proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs similar to Prilosec in the year 2013 alone.

However, Prilosec is available without a prescription, making it likely that the actual number of Americans taking PPI drugs per year is much higher than those who fill prescriptions.

Prilosec and other proton-pump inhibitors are primarily used to treat heartburn. These drugs are also often used to treat acid reflux and stomach ulcers.

Prilosec Side Effects: Kidney Problems

Unfortunately, in recent studies PPIs like Prilosec have been linked with a higher risk of developing serious kidney problems like kidney damage and kidney failure than in patients who used other methods of treating heartburn.

One such study was published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, which studied Prilosec side effects over the course of several years.

The data used in the study included hundreds of thousands of PPI users and compared PPI users to those who used other methods of heartburn treatment.

The study found that about 15 percent of PPI patients were later diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. Only about 11 percent of patients who used H2-blockers instead of PPI drugs developed these kinds of chronic kidney problems.

Once researchers had accounted for various outside factors influencing these numbers, the study indicated a 28 percent increased risk of kidney problems for PPI drug patients compared to those who used other methods.

While very few of the patients involved in the study developed late-stage kidney failure, those who took PPIs were 96 percent more likely to reach this more extreme stage than those who used other treatment.

While the risk of developing kidney failure is still relatively low, patients who need not take Prilosec and have other, safer alternatives available to them should avoid taking Prilosec altogether to negate this increased risk entirely.

Other Prilosec Side Effects

Minor Prilosec side effects generally go away on their own, but patients should be cautious and contact their doctor if these effects either persist or get worse. Minor Prilosec side effects include headache and abdominal pain

More major Prilosec side effects are serious, and patients should contact their doctor if they develop these Prilosec side effects:

• Irregular heartbeat
• Persistent muscle spasms
• Seizures
• Persistent diarrhea
• Abdominal or stomach pain/cramping
• Persistent fever
• Blood or mucus in stool
• Vitamin B-12 deficiency (weakness, sore tongue, numbness)

Prilosec side effects may also include a severe allergic reaction. Symptoms of such a reaction include:

• Rash, itching/swelling (especially in the face, tongue, or throat)
• Dizziness
• Trouble breathing
• Kidney problems

Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering of a patients suffering from Prilosec side effects, but it can help to compensate for financial expenses often incurred by medical bills and lost wages.

If you or someone you love has taken Prilosec or a similar PPI drug and have since suffered from kidney failure or other serious Prilosec side effects, you may be able to file a lawsuit.