Approximately one out of every three adults in the United States has high blood pressure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lowering high blood pressure to a safe level is important to reduce an individual’s risk of stroke and heart attack. Lifestyle changes and prescription medications can help an individual lower blood pressure.
Benicar Is One Blood Pressure Medication
Benicar (olmesartan medoxomil) is a prescription drug that is used to treat high blood pressure. Benicar is designed to keep blood vessels from narrowing. This improves blood flow and could lower blood pressure. Patients should take this medication as prescribed by their doctor and have regular blood pressure checks to monitor dosage.
And Patients Should Know About Potential Side Effects of Benicar
As with many prescription medications, there are possible side effects for patients who take Benicar. Some of the potential side effects include:
- Allergic reactions. Significant and dangerous allergic reactions can occur.
- Injury or death to fetuses during pregnancy. Benicar is classified as FDA pregnancy category D and should not be used during pregnancy.
- Sprue-like enteropathy. This condition affects the intestines in much the same way as uncontrolled celiac disease. Patients report issues such as chronic diarrhea and significant weight loss.
Additional side effects are also possible.
FDA Warning for Benicar
In the summer of 2013, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required the manufacturer of olmesartan medoxomil, sold as Benicar, to add another warning to the blood pressure medication label. In a July 2013 Safety Announcement, the FDA found, “clear evidence of an association between olmesartan and sprue-like enteropathy.”
The new warning came after Mayo Clinic researchers found that some people taking Benicar suffered sprue-like enteropathy, and that the resulting diarrhea and weight loss could substantially affect a person’s quality of life or, for some patients, endanger their lives.
Call an Experienced Attorney If You’ve Been Injured by Benicar
If you have suffered a side effect from Benicar, then we encourage you to find out more about your rights. People who have been hurt have filed lawsuits which are currently consolidated in multi-district litigation (MDL). Don’t waste another day wondering if you have a claim. Instead, contact our experienced pharmaceutical injury lawyers any time—24/7/365—at 1-800-800-5678 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your specific drug injury.