Texas Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) Lawyer

Heartburn drugs in the Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) class have been linked to many severe side effects, including nephritis, kidney disease, bone fractures, vitamin deficiencies, infections, and more.

Need a Texas Proton Pump Inhibitor Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one was diagnosed with kidney problems, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit.

UPDATE: Study Links PPIs and 96% Higher Risk of Kidney Failure

April 2016 — A study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology has linked the use of anti-heartburn medications in the PPI class to a 96% increased risk of kidney failure and a 26% increased risk of chronic kidney disease. Click here to read more.

What are PPIs?

Proton-Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) are a class of drugs that reduce the amount of acid made by glands lining the stomach.

What do PPIs Treat?

PPIs treat heartburn caused by acid reflux, also known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). This condition occurs when acid in the stomach flows into the esophagus and causes irritation and painful burning sensation. PPIs are also sometimes used to treat stomach ulcers (sores in the stomach) and damage to the lower esophagus caused by acid reflux.

Types of PPIs

PPIs and Nephritis

Some of the earliest case reports linking PPIs and nephritis were published in 1992. Since then, the FDA has received dozens of reports of this side effect. In some case reports, patients needed long-term dialysis to treat kidney failure.

In December 2014, the FDA updated the label on all PPIs to include stronger warnings about a hypersensitivity reaction that causes severe swelling and inflammation in the kidneys.

This side effect is known as acute interstitial nephritis. It can cause mild or severe kidney problems, including kidney failure, and it can occur at any time during treatment with a PPI. In about 50% of cases, patients have less urine output and other symptoms of kidney failure.

Symptoms of Nephritis

Blood in the urine
Fever
Increased or decreased urine output
Mental status changes (drowsiness, confusion, coma)
Nausea, vomiting
Rash
Swelling in the body caused by fluid retention
Weight rain from excess fluid

PPIs and Chronic Kidney Disease

In January 2016, JAMA Internal Medicine published a study linking once-daily and twice-daily doses of PPIs with a 20-50% increased risk of kidney disease. Researchers initially set out to investigate the rate of nephritis in patients on PPIs. However, after looking at data on 10,500 patients between 1996 and 2011, they found higher rates of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).

Over several years, kidney function gradually decreases in patients with CKD. The kidneys stop cleaning the blood and performing other essential functions, which causes complications in nearly every part of the body — high blood pressure, anemia, weak bones, poor nutrition, nerve damage, heart disease, and more.

Study Finds Risk of Kidney Injury and Nephritis

Older adults on long-term treatment with PPIs could be three times more likely to develop acute interstitial nephritis and 2.4-times more likely to develop an acute kidney injury, according to a study published in CMAJ Open in April 2015. The authors of the study analyzed data on 290,000 adults in Ontario who were over 66 years old and started taking a PPI between 2002 and 2011.

Need a Proton Pump Inhibitor Lawyer in Texas?

Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.

Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”

The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our Texas Proton Pump Inhibitor lawyers for a free lawsuit review.