Benicar Diarrhea Symptoms

ANSWER

After Daiichi Sankyo’s hypertension drug Benicar has been on the market for more than a decade, information emerged about a link between Benicar and diarrhea symptoms, leading to new warnings added by the FDA.

It appears that the drug maker knew or should have known about the risk of users suffering chronic diarrhea from Benicar side effects for years, yet this critical information was withheld.

The Benicar lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. previously represented individuals throughout the United States who experienced diarrhea problem that resulted in hospitalization or the need for medical treatment. Following several years of litigation, a global settlement was reached in August 2017, resolving the litigation. As a result, new cases are no longer being pursued. This page is provided for informational purposes only.

Information About Benicar Diarrhea Problems

Benicar (olmesartan medoxomil) is a member of a class of drugs known as angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). Daiichi Sankyo also sells other versions of the same medication under the brand names Benicar HCT, Azor and Tribenzor.

All of these medications have been linked to problems that may cause users to suffer severe and chronic diarrhea problems, which may not appear until months or even years after the medication is first used. In many cases, the diarrhea symptoms on Benicar are so severe that users end up hospitalized and unable to work for a period of time.

As a result of Daiichi Sankyo’s apparent decision to place their desire for profits before the safety of patients by aggressively promoting their blood pressure medication without warning users and the medical community to be on the lookout for signs of diarrhea or other gastrointestinal problems, many individuals have been left with permanent damage to their intestines, known as villous atrophy.

The first public report on the potential link was published in the medical journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings in July 2012, highlighting at least 22 cases involving users of Benicar with symptoms of celiac disease, including chronic diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, weight loss, abdominal pain and fatigue.

While celiac disease is typically only seen among individuals with a genetic predisposition and requires strict adherence to a gluten-free diet. Users of Benicar saw no change in their symptoms by avoiding gluten. However, the independent researchers discovered that patients did show signs of improvement when Benicar was no longer used.

That study was followed by an FDA warning (PDF) issued in July 2013, which was the first notice provided to doctors and the medical community to indicate that patients should be closely monitored for Benicar diarrhea symptoms, which may appear months or even years after the drug is used.

The FDA indicated that there was “clear evidence” that Benicar was causing these diarrhea problems, noting that the symptoms typically stopped when the medication was no longer used and resumed when it was started against, which is known as “challenge-dechallenge-rechallenge”.

Despite the new warnings required by the FDA in 2013, many users and doctors remain unaware that use of Benicar may cause symptoms of a medical condition known as sprue-like enteropathy, which could include:

• Chronic Diarrhea
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Sudden Weight Loss
• Malnutrition and Dehydration
• Various Forms of Colitis
• Villous Atrophy
• Other Gastrointestinal Problems

Benicar Diarrhea Injury Lawyers

As a result of Daiichi Sankyo’s apparent decision to place their desire for profits before the safety of patients by aggressively promoting their blood pressure medication without providing strong enough warnings, financial compensation was obtained for many users through a Benicar settlement.

The product liability lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are no longer reviewing additional Benicar class action lawsuits and individual injury claims.

Last Updated August 1, 2017
By Austin Kirk
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