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Aciphex Lawsuit | Get the Right Lawyer

Aciphex, a heartburn drug manufactured by Eisai, Inc., has been linked to serious side effects including chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute interstital nephritits (AIN), and renal failure (end-stage renal disease or “ERSD”).
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C.L. Mike Schmidt Published by C.L. Mike Schmidt

The heartburn medication Aciphex (generic: rabeprazole) has been linked to chronic kidney disease, renal failure, heart attack, stomach cancer, bone fractures and other serious side effects.

Free Confidential Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one was injured by Aciphex side effects, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit against the manufacturer and our lawyers can help.

Update: Acid Reflux Drugs May Double Risk of Stomach Cancer, Study Finds

December 1, 2017 – Long-term use of PPIs can increase your risk of stomach cancer by up to 250% [1], a new study published in the journal Gut has found. For short-term treatment, the drugs have proved safe and effective in suppressing stomach acid production. However, for a small percentage of people who carry a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori, the risk of developing stomach cancer increases dramatically when they take a PPI for an extended period of time, according to the study.

What is Aciphex?

Aciphex (rabeprazole sodium) is a popular proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medication used in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), erosive esophagitis, duodenal ulcer, as well as a number of other conditions. PPIs works by reducing the level of acid in the stomach by blocking acid production sites. Proton pump inhibitors are extremely popular, with doctors writing nearly 115 million prescriptions for the medications each year nationwide.

PPI Heartburn Drugs Linked to Kidney Disease: Study

Aciphex and other PPIs have been linked to long-term kidney damage, according to a January 2016 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine [2]. PPI users have a 20-50% increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) compared to non-users, said Dr. Morgan Grams, assistant professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University and lead author of the study. The research doesn’t establish a causative link between PPI use and CKD; however, “We found there was an increasing risk associated with an increasing dose. That suggests that perhaps this observed effect is real,” according to Grams.

Kidney Disease Symptoms

  • Changes in urination
  • Swelling in the ankles, legs, feet and/or hands
  • Fatigue
  • Skin rash / itching
  • Nausea / vomiting
  • Shortness of breath
  • Feeling cold
  • Metallic taste in mouth / ammonia breath
  • Dizziness / trouble concentrating
  • Leg / flank pain

Also read: Prilosec kidney failure lawsuit

Aciphex Side Effects

Serious side effects of Aciphex may include:

  • Acute interstitial nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys)
  • Acute kidney injury
  • Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
  • Kidney failure (renal failure)
  • Heart attack
  • Stomach cancer
  • Bone fractures (hip fracture, wrist fracture, spine fracture)
  • Broken bones
  • Low magnesium levels (hypomagnesemia)

FDA Warning on Aciphex

In May 2010, the FDA required that the safety labeling information for proton pump inhibitors like Aciphex be updated to include a warning about the risk of bone fractures associated with their use. The updated warnings came as the result of a number of epidemiological studies that reported an increased risk of bone fractures in individuals who took the drugs for a year or more. The majority of the studies evaluated patients over 50, and the increased risk of fracture primarily was observed in this age group.

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Study Finds Increased Risk of Death with PPI Heartburn Medications

July 5, 2017 – Proton pump inhibitors have been linked to a 25% greater risk of death compared to patients who took H2 blockers, according to a study published Monday in BMJ [3]. The study also found that PPI use was linked to a 15% increased death rate compared to patients who took another kind of acid suppressor other than H2 blockers, and that the death rate was 23% higher among PPI users compared to people who took no such medications.

PPI Kidney Injury Suits Centralized in New Jersey

August 4, 2017 – The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) on Wednesday ordered that all federally-filed lawsuits involving kidney injuries from PPI heartburn drugs will be consolidated in the District of New Jersey for pretrial handling. The panel’s ruling marked an about-face from it’s previous opinion on the matter, having in February rejected a bid to create an MDL. The reason for the change was due to the litigation’s substantial increase in size since the initial ruling, and because 2 defendants who previously opposed centralization — AstraZeneca and Pfizer — are now in support of it, according to JPML.

PPIs Linked to Increased Risk of Pneumonia in Dementia Patients

April 5, 2017 – Dementia patients who take proton pump inhibitors have an 89% increased risk of developing pneumonia compared to dementia patients who don’t use the medications, according to a study published last month in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Independent risk factors for pneumonia included age, male gender, underlying cerebrovascular disease, chronic pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, and antipsychotic use.

PPIs Linked to Increased Risk for Heart Failure, Death

March 23, 2017 – Proton pump inhibitor heartburn medicines have been linked to an increased risk for heart failure and death in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), according to a recent study published in PLOS ONE [4]. The researchers found that PPIs are commonly used to prevent complications in CAD patients treated with chronic antiplatelet therapy (aspirin, Plavix, Effient); however, when used in this capacity, proton pump inhibitors may increase the risk of adverse health consequences including pneumonia, micronutrient deficiencies, and osteoporosis-related fractures.

PPIs linked to Stomach Infections, Study Finds

January 6, 2017 – People who take proton pump inhibitors like Aciphex may be at an increased risk for developing severe gut infections, according to a new study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. The researchers found that among a cohort of 565,000 adults, patients who used PPIs had higher rates of infection with C. difficile and Campylobacter bacteria compared to those who didn’t take the medications.

PPIs Linked to Rhabdomyolysis, Study Finds

September 26, 2016 – A new case study has found that use of proton pump inhibitors like Aciphex may increase the risk of rhabdomyolysis [5], a condition in which skeletal muscle breaks down rapidly. The study describes the case of a 45-year-old man who was hospitalized for persistent lower chest pain and treated with a single intravenous dose of Nexium (esomeprazole), after which he developed rhabdomyolysis. The findings were published in last month’s edition of Medicine [6].

MDL Sought for Proton Pump Inhibitor Kidney Damage Lawsuits

October 20, 2016 – Plaintiffs who filed lawsuits over kidney injuries from Aciphex and other PPI heartburn medications have filed a motion seeking consolidation of the complaints into a multidistrict litigation (MDL). At least 15 such complaints are currently pending in federal courts across the U.S. However, plaintiffs argue that hundreds or even thousands more suits are likely to be filed in the coming weeks and months.

Aciphex Linked to Brain Problems, Fluid Buildup

September 1, 2016 – Aciphex and other PPI acid reflux drugs may increase the risk of loss of brain function and fluid buildup in the abdomen, according to a study published in last month’s issue of Hepatology [7]. Fifty-two percent of patients in the study took proton pump inhibitors at some point during clinical trials. The Researchers found that these patients had a 31% cumulative 1-year risk for brain damage, compared to a 25% risk for those who did not take the drugs.

Aciphex May Increase Kidney Disease Risk, Study Finds

April 14, 2016 – People who take proton pump inhibitor (PPI) acid reflux drugs like Aciphex may be at increased risk of developing kidney disease, a study published today in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN) [8] suggests. According to the research, PPI users were 26% more likely to suffer chronic kidney disease (CKD), and 96% more likely to develop kidney failure compared to patients who took histamine H2 receptor blockers (Pepcid, Tagamet, Zantac), another class of heartburn drug used to suppress stomach acid.

Related Article: Zantac NDMA Lawsuit Attorneys

Aciphex Linked to Cardiac Complications, Study Finds

August 19, 2016 – Use of proton pump inhibitors like Aciphex may lead to cardiovascular complications in patients with preexisting heart disease, according to a June study published in the International Journal of Cardiology [9]. The researchers found that prolonged use of PPIs in these patients was associated with worsening of red blood count indexes, lower weight and under-utilization of cardioprotective medications like statins and blood pressure drugs.

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The Pharmaceutical Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Aciphex lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently investigating potential settlements in all 50 states.

Free Confidential Case Evaluation: Again, if you were harmed by Aciphex, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to a settlement by filing a lawsuit and our lawyers can help.

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