Benicar®

GI Side Effects Linked to Benicar®

Olmesartan medoxomil—marketed under the brand names Benicar, Benicar HCT®, Azor®, and Tribenzor®—is the only drug of its type linked to sprue-like enteropathy. Sprue-like enteropathy is a GI condition identified by a collection of symptoms including severe, chronic diarrhea and rapid weight loss.

Sprue-like enteropathy shares similar symptoms with celiac disease (a condition in which food containing gluten causes damage to the small intestine) and irritable bowel syndrome, and is often misdiagnosed due to these similarities. Screening is recommended for patients exhibiting severe gastrointestinal distress after using Benicar, Azor, or Tribenzor, as one of the hallmarks of sprue-like enteropathy is GI symptoms that persist even after eliminating gluten intake entirely.

Other gastrointestinal side effects that may be caused by Benicar include:

• Anemia
• Chronic diarrhea
• Chronic fatigue
• Electrolyte abnormalities
• Intestinal inflammation
• Mouth ulcers
• Rapid weight loss
• Vitamin deficiencies
• Vomiting

FDA Warnings Lead to Benicar® Label Updates

The FDA issued a Drug Safety Communication linking Benicar, Benicar HCT®, Azor®, and Tribenzor® to the development of sprue-like enteropathy. Labels for the drugs were updated to include this warning. Additionally, FDA officials recommended that patients who develop symptoms of sprue-like enteropathy talk to their doctors about switching to alternative ARB blood pressure treatments.

Contact Our Benicar® Lawyers Today

You shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket if you took Benicar, Benicar HCT, Azor, or Tribenzor and suffered gastrointestinal side effects requiring medical treatment or hospitalization. Our drug injury lawyers will do everything we can to help you get the maximum possible results for your claim, so you can focus on getting better. Take action now—call or contact us online for a free case consultation today.

Benicar®, Benicar HCT®, Azor®, and Tribenzor®are registered trademarks of Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, and are used here only for the purpose of identifying the products in question.

This law firm is not associated with, sponsored by, or affiliated with Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Do not stop taking a prescription medication without first consulting with your doctor. Discontinuing a prescribed medication without your doctor’s advice can result in injury or death. 

Cases may be referred to another attorney or law firm.