Vimovo Lawsuit

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On March 2, 2011, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning about the risk of severe bone fractures with PPI medications like Vimovo (naproxen & esomeprazole magnesium). Vimovo is intended for use in the treatment of osteoarthritis and gastric ulcers, but it now seems that the risk of taking the drug may be greater than any potential benefit. Lawsuits are now being investigated nationwide of behalf of individuals who have suffered from Vimovo side effects.

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 Vimovo Case Evaluation: If you or a loved one has suffered from a bone fracture or other adverse side effect after taking Vimovo, 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?

Marketed and manufactured by AstraZeneca, Vimovo was first approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2010 for the treatment of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Vimovo is a combination of the pain killer naproxen and esomeprazole magnesium, which is the active ingredient in the heartburn drug Nexium. It is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medication intended for use by those who have gastric ulcers, a common side effect of other drugs that treat those conditions.

Proton pump inhibitor drugs like Vimovo work by reducing the amount of acid in the stomach. In 2009 alone, approximately 21 million PPI prescriptions were filled at retail pharmacies around the country. Medications in the PPI class include:

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

Unfortunately, studies have shown that the use of such medications may greatly increase the risk of a number of side effects including severe bone fractures of the wrist, hip and spine. Research indicates that Vimovo may weaken the dexterity of bones and allow minimal pressure to cause a fracture.

Vimovo Side Effects

Vimovo side effects typically appear in individuals 50 and older who take the medication for a year or longer. Serious side effects most often reported in Vimovo users include:

• Hip fractures
• Wrist fractures
• Spine fractures
• Abdominal pain
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Stroke
• Allergic reactions
• Heart attack
• Weight loss
• Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

Vimovo & Hypomagnesemia

On March 2, 2011, the FDA announced that it was notifying the public and medical communities that PPI drugs like Vimovo may also cause low serum magnesium levels (hypomagnesemia) if taken for prolonged periods of more than one year. Low serum magnesium levels can result in a number of adverse side effects including muscle spasm (tetany), irregular heartbeat (arrhythmias), and convulsions. FDA recommends that doctors should consider obtaining serum magnesium levels prior to initiation of prescription PPI treatment in patients expected to be on these medications for longer than a year, as well as individuals who take PPIs in combination with drugs such as digoxin, diuretics or medications that may cause hypomagnesemia.

Do I have a Vimovo 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 Vimovo lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new bone fracture cases in all 50 states.