{"id":353208,"date":"2016-04-04T10:46:59","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:46:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/injury\/product-liability\/benicar-lawsuit-information.html"},"modified":"2023-12-01T09:48:33","modified_gmt":"2023-12-01T14:48:33","slug":"benicar-lawsuit-information","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/product-liability\/benicar-lawsuit-information.html","title":{"rendered":"Benicar Lawsuit Information"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Benicar Lawsuit Information<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Oni Harton, J.D.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Benicar is a blood pressure medication linked to serious gastrointestinal side effects, including sprue-like enteropathy. Thousands of patients filed lawsuits against its manufacturers, Daiichi Sankyo and Forest Laboratories, claiming the drug caused severe health issues and that the companies failed to warn users.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Benicar (olmesartan medoxomil) is a drug used to treat high blood pressure, or hypertension. Forest Laboratories markets the drug in the U.S., and the Japanese drugmaker Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. manufactures this antihypertensive drug.<\/p>\n

Since entering the American market, it has become one of the country’s most widely prescribed blood pressure medications. Despite the drug’s popularity, Benicar carries several health risks.<\/p>\n

Many patients have filed a Benicar lawsuit against the drug’s manufacturers. These lawsuits claim the blood-pressure drug caused severe intestinal problems and other complications.<\/p>\n

Read on to learn more about the problems associated with Benicar and the resulting lawsuits. If you have been harmed by using Benicar or another pharmaceutical, you can also talk to an attorney near you for legal advice. A product liability attorney<\/a> can determine if you have a valid claim. If so, they will guide you through the claims process and advocate for fair compensation.<\/p>\n

Benicar Overview<\/h2>\n

Benicar is the brand name for olmesaratan, an\u00a0angiotensin II receptor blocker<\/a> (ARB). Angiotensin is a chemical in our bodies that narrows our blood vessels. When this happens, our blood pressure goes up. ARBs prevent this from happening, keeping blood pressure at safe levels.<\/p>\n

Patients have taken Benicar for decades. It wasn’t until 2014 that patients started suing the drugmaker for injuries related to the popular medication.<\/p>\n

Benicar Is Not Safe for Pregnant Women<\/h2>\n

Women who are pregnant should avoid Benicar. Before 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified Benicar as a category D pregnancy drug<\/a>, meaning that it posed a risk of death to an unborn fetus. However, the FDA abandoned its categorization system in 2016.<\/p>\n

Today, the FDA suggests that pregnant women avoid Benicar if possible. Unless your doctor has a specific reason why you should take the drug in spite of\u00a0the risk, it’s not a safe option.<\/p>\n

Benicar and other drugs that impact your\u00a0renin-angiotensin system<\/a>\u00a0(RAS<\/a>) cause harm during the second and third trimesters. Specifically, the drugs decreased the baby’s renal functioning. These drugs also increase an infant’s morbidity and death rates.<\/p>\n

Benicar’s Side Effects<\/h2>\n

Like most other drugs, Benicar carries several adverse side effects. Most of these are tolerable and may diminish the longer you take the medication. Others are serious side effects and should trigger a visit to your healthcare provider.<\/p>\n

Some of the common\u00a0side effects of Benicar<\/a>\u00a0include:<\/p>\n