Prilosec Lawsuit

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The proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drug Prilosec is generally prescribed to treat the symptoms of heartburn. Prilosec and other PPI medications are chemically designed to block acid buildup. However, Prilosec may also block calcium absorption, which may lead to wrist, spine and hip fractures in some patients.

Prilosec Update 4/25/12: U.K. health regulators have issued two new warnings to the public stating that the use of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) heartburn drugs may cause bone fractures, and have the potential to lead to dangerously low levels of magnesium in the body. According to the warnings, these risks are increased if high doses of PPIs are taken over long periods of time, and appear to primarily affect the elderly. Click here to learn more.

Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) Update 2/8/12: The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning today stating that the use of proton pump inhibitor heartburn drugs may increase the risk of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea. FDA’s warning came in response to a safety review from its Adverse Event Reporting System that suggested such a link. Click here to learn more.

Free Prilosec Case Evaluation: If you or a loved one has suffered from a bone fracture or other adverse event you feel may have been caused by Prilosec, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit and we can help.

What’s the problem?

Manufactured and marketed by AstraZeneca, Prilosec is a prescription medication used to reduce the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, otherwise known as heartburn. Prilosec works by blocking the enzyme in the stomach wall that produces stomach acid. The reduction of stomach acid can make it harder for the body to absorb some nutrients including calcium, which can lead to weakened bones and fractures. A December 2006 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that prolonged and/or heavy use of Prilosec significantly increases the risk of hip fractures in patients over the age of 50.

Prilosec Side Effects

Serious side effects most often reported in Prilosec users include the following:

• Hip fractures
• Wrist fractures
• Spine fractures
• Abdominal pain
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Stroke
• Allergic reactions
• Heart attack
• Weight loss

The risk of these side effects is greatly increased in patients receiving high doses or in intervals greater than a year at a time. In March 2011, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) updated an earlier drug safety communication indicating that it has determined that the use of high doses of PPIs for more than a year can increase the risk of osteoporosis and fractures of the hip, wrist and spine. In May 2010, the FDA announced that warnings would be provided about the risk of bone fracture side effects from prescription strength PPI drugs. The warnings came after FDA drug safety reviewers looked at a number of epidemiological studies into PPI bone fracture risks. Drugs affected by the labeling changes include:

• Nexium
• Prilosec
• Aciphex
• Prevacid
• Protonix
• Vimovo
• Zegerid
• Dexilant

Warning: Prilosec Can Interfere With Plavix

In November 2009, the FDA warned the public and healthcare professionals that individuals taking the anti-clotting drug Plavix should not take Prilosec and Nexium because they may lessen the effects of Plavix. This may prove problematic since approximately 50% of patients taking Plavix also take Nexium, Prilosec and other similar drugs to prevent stomach bleeding and ulcers, which are common side effects of taking Plavix. A previous study indicated that if you took PPI drugs like Prilosec, the risk of heart attack and stroke increased by 50%.

Do I have a Prilosec Lawsuit?

The Product Liability & Defective Drug Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Prilosec lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new bone fracture cases in all 50 states.