What NEXIUM Is Used For?
Nexium (esomeprazole) is an anti-acid medication used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. Millions of people have taken Nexium and may be at risk of heart attack, kidney disease, bone fracture, birth defects and other serious side effects.
Many Nexium lawsuits have been filed by people injured by the medication and more may be expected. PPI medications like Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid and others have been taken by more than 20 million U.S. adults the drugs have made $ millions for drug companies. The drugs were approved for non-prescription, over-the-counter (OTC) use because they were considered safe and have been sold to millions of Americans. Unfortunately, PPIs like Nexium are now known to cause serious effects in some people, including heart attack, bone fracture, birth defects and kidney disease. Some researchers also believe the medications are taken too often and for too long and may put more people at risk.
HOW NEXIUM WORKS?
Proton-pump inhibitors were supposed to be the final word in treating stomach acid conditions like indigestion, dyspepsia, GERD, acid reflux disease, and peptic ulcers. Prilosec was the first, followed soon by Prevacid and Nexium, but they’re all basically the same: a pyridine and benzimidazole moiety linked by a methylsulfinyl group. PPIs also all work the same way, by blocking the proton pump of the gastric parietal cells, which is the very last step before the stomach produces acid.
SYMPTOMS & SIDE EFFECTS OF NEXIUM
Nexium, like all medications, may cause side effects. Most of these are mild to moderate and many will go away after a period of time. Symptoms that are severe or bothersome should be reported to a health care professional. Common side effects of Nexium include.Most of the side effects of Prilosec are mild to moderate and may go away over time.
Serious side effects may be life-threatening and should treated as an emergency.
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Common side effects of Prilosec include:
- Unpleasant taste in mouth
- Nausea, diarrhea, intestinal pain
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Muscle/joint pain
- Anxiety
- Rash
Some side effects may be more severe, serious, or life-threatening and include:
- Abnormal heart rhythm
- Heart attack
- Confusion, speech disorder
- Loss of consciousness, seizure
- Bone fracture
- Birth Defects
- Bullseye rash (Erythema Multiforme) or other severe rash
Latest NEXIUM News & Recalls
As of 2018, the Food and Drug Administration has approved six proton-pump inhibitors for treatment of gastrointestinal issues:
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- Omeprazole / Prilosec
- Esomeprazole / Nexium
- Lansoprazole / Prevacid
- Dexlansoprazole / Dexilant
- Pantoprazole / Protonix
- Rabeprazole / AcipHex
None of these drugs warn that the use of PPIs has been associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer in people who use them. The drug companies do not list that as a side effect in their advertisements, in the prescribing information provided to doctors, or in the medication guide provided to patients. The drug companies do not even suggest that PPIs not be taken long-term because of the risk of cancer, even though the current science shows that, the longer a person takes PPIs, the greater the risk.
The lawsuits allege that the companies behind these medications should have warned consumers and doctors about the risk of stomach and esophageal cancer. This litigation is in its very early stages, and there have been no settlements for gastric cancer caused by proton-pump inhibitors.
Lawsuits & Settlements
Nexium was introduced at nearly the same time that Astra-Zeneca’s first PPI, Prilosec’s patent was expiring and the company was accused of improperly encouraging patients to switch to Nexium, simply to increase profits. Astra-Zeneca ultimately paid $20 million to settle a class-action lawsuit but the company is facing medical injury lawsuits over Nexium, unrelated to that 2005 case.
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January 2017
Safety concerns about Nexium, Prilosec and other PPI use have continued to occur but the medications are still in use, both as prescriptions and over-the-counter. Thousands of injuries may have been caused by Nexium and the company is facing multiple lawsuits related to those injuries which may include birth defects, heart attacks, kidney failure, and bone fractures.
Patients or their loved ones who have been injured by Nexium, may be eligible for compensation for past and future medical costs, lost wages and pain and suffering. In some cases, if it can be proven that the company knew of the dangers of a medication but continued to sell it anyway, punitive damages can also be awarded.
Though there are no guarantees and each case must be evaluated separately, patients or loved ones who may have been injured by Nexium, should seek a legal evaluation.
Legal Assistance
The Prilosec & Nexium lawsuit is against the drug manufacturer for failure to warn about the risk of kidney failure. The lawsuits allege that the manufacturer failed to warn both the patients and doctors of kidney risk. Prilosec and Nexium lawyers argue that patients would have chosen alternative medications if warnings were provided. The Nexium attorneys also argue that physicians would have monitored their patients kidneys closer while taking the medication. Prilosec and Nexium are proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which treat acid-related stomach issues. There are many other drug classes that effectively treat acid-related stomach problems. The first Nexium lawsuit filed was in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. Nexium and Prilosec lawsuits could number in the thousands within a few years.
HOW TO FILE A CLAIM
Do you want to learn if you have a case? The lawsuits are being filed on behalf of those patients who suffered:
- Abnormal heart rhythm
- Heart attack
- Confusion, speech disorder
- Loss of consciousness, seizure
- Bone fracture
- Birth Defects
- Bullseye rash (Erythema Multiforme) or other severe rash
The suit claims that the drug makers failed to properly warn patients and doctors of the most severe side effects of these drugs, causing additional injuries.
Lawyers expect that thousands of patients will ultimately come forward with injuries to file claims. As is often the case with drug injury lawsuits, cases may eventually be consolidated in a central federal court for expedited handling.
A lawyer can speak with you today to determine if your case qualifies, and it costs nothing to investigate or file your claim unless you receive compensation.