Protonix Lawyers for Kidney Injury and Stomach Cancer Cases
The product liability lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. previously reviewed potential Protonix lawsuits for individuals nationwide who experienced any of the following injuries;
- Stomach Cancer or Gastric Cancer
- Acute Kidney Injury
- Acute Intestinal Nephritis (AIN)
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Kidney Failure
- Dialysis Treatment
- Kidney Transplant Surgery
Protonix Side Effects
Protonix was introduced in 2000, as a treatment for throat ulcers caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. It is part of a widely used class of proton pump inhibitors, which have been prescribed to millions of Americans and include some of the most widely recognized brand name drugs, such as Nexium, Prilosec and Prevacid.
Sales for Protonix reached $1.9 billion in 2007, before other companies began selling generic versions. Pfizer, which acquired the manufacturer of Protonix, Wyeth, successfully sued to halt generic sales until the patent expired in 2011, but generic Protonix equivalents are now widely available.
While it has been assumed by many that there are few serious side effects of Protonix, recent studies have suggested that the medication may increase the risk of severe kidney injury or the development of stomach cancer. As a result of the drug maker’s failure to warn about this risk, many users stayed on the medication for years, often long after there was a true medical need for the treatment.
▸ Acute Interstitial Nephritis Protonix Warnings
In December 2014, the FDA required new Protonix warnings about a risk of acute interstitial nephritis, which is a form of serious kidney damage that involves a sudden inflammation. This can lead to serious and long-term kidney injury, providing clear link to Protonix side effects.
According to allegations that will be raised in Protonix lawsuits being pursued nationwide, users and the medical community should have been provided these warnings much earlier, which may have allowed many users to avoid severe injuries caused by kidney problems on Protonix.
Protonix cases also allege that the FDA mandated warnings do not go far enough, and that users and the medical community should be specifically informed that Protonix may increase the risk of acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, kidney failure and other problems.
▸ Protonix Acute Kidney Injury Risk
In a study published by the medical journal CMAJ Open in April 2015, researchers found a link between acute kidney injury and proton pump inhibitors. Researchers found that users of Protonix and other PPI may face a 2.5 fold increased risk of acute kidney injury, as well as a three times higher risk of acute interstitial nephritis when compared to individuals who do not use a heartburn drug.
Researchers highlighted the importance of doctors understanding the risk of acute interstitial nephritis and kidney injury with drugs like Protonix, indicating that patients should be monitored and indiscriminate use of the drugs should be discouraged.
In many cases, if users had recognized the signs and symptoms of a Protonix kidney injury, they may have avoided more severe consequences, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage renal failure, the need for life-long dialysis treatment or a kidney transplant.
▸ Protonix Chronic Kidney Disease
In January 2016, another study published in the medical journal JAMA Internal Medicine highlighted the Protonix kidney risks, finding that proton pump inhibitors (PPI) may increase the chances of individuals developing chronic kidney disease (CDK) by 50%.
Researchers have called for further research on the link between chronic kidney disease and Protonix. Lawsuits allege that warnings provided for users should more clearly indicate that Protonix can cause sudden loss of kidney function, potentially resulting in symptoms like:
- Weakness or Fatigue
- Shortness of Breath
- Abnormal Heart Rhythms
- Pain the Flanks
Recurrent kidney injury or more severe instances may be the underlying cause of chronic kidney disease from Protonix, and many individuals may have avoided this serious complication by discontinuing the drug or pursuing a different treatment alternative.
▸ Protonix Stomach Cancer Cases
In late 2017, independent studies indicated that side effects of Protonix and other proton pump inhibitors may cause user to face a much higher risk of developing gastric cancer, which develops in the lining of the stomach. Cancer risks increased the longer individuals stayed on the medication, highlighting the impact caused by the drug maker’s failure to adequately research these problems and warn users and the medical community.
A study published in The BMJ, found that the Prilosec stomach cancer risk could be three times higher following long-term use of the medication. The problems were seen among both men and women, impacting all age groups.
In a separate study published in the medical journal Gut, researchers found that users of Protonix and other PPI were still associated with an increased gastric cancer risk among individuals who had been treated Helicobacter pylori infections, which has been linked to a stomach cancer risk when left untreated.
Protonix Class Action Lawyers
The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. previously reviewed potential Protonix class action lawsuits and individual claims for those who suffered a kidney injury. Similar claims were also pursued through Nexium lawsuits, Prilosec lawsuits and other acid reflux drug lawsuits.