The FDA is warning that the anti-heartburn drug Vimovo has been associated with an increased risk of acute interstitial nephritis. It causes sudden inflammation and swelling in the kidneys. Without treatment, it can cause kidney failure.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Vimovo induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with interstitial nephritis, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Vimovo and Interstitial Nephritis
Vimovo is a medication that prevents heartburn with a combination of naproxen and esomeprazole. Unfortunately, both of these drugs have been associated with a risk of nephritis.
FDA Warnings for Vimovo
The label on Vimovo was updated to include warnings about acute interstitial nephritis in December 2014. By that time, dozens of cases had been reported over more than a decade.
Reports Linking Vimovo and Nephritis
AstraZeneca said it was aware of 15 reports of nephritis in patients on esomeprazole in October 2004. In one case report, a 63 year-old woman needed dialysis after taking esomeprazole for only three weeks.
Antacids May Triple Risk of Nephritis
Vimovo contains esomeprazole, an antacid in the Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) class. In April 2015, Canadian researchers published a study linking the use of PPIs with a tripled increased risk of acute interstitial nephritis among adults over 66 years old.
What is Interstitial Nephritis?
Acute interstitial nephritis is typically caused by an allergic reaction to medications in the blood. As the kidneys clean the blood, they rapidly become inflamed and swollen. The swelling occurs in interstitial tissue between tubules in the kidneys.
Symptoms of Interstitial Nephritis
- Enlarged kidneys
- Urine is bloody or cloudy
- Urine output increases or decreases
- Fever
- Nausea and vomiting
- Abnormal drowsiness or fatigue
- Confusion
- Rash
- Fluid retention
- Swelling in the body
- Pelvic pain
Diagnosis & Treatment
A doctor will usually suspect interstitial nephritis in patients who have enlarged kidneys after taking PPIs. The patient will need to stop taking Vimovo and any other medication that might be causing nephritis.
The longer treatment is delayed, the higher the risk of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and kidney failure. In some cases, patients require dialysis to mechanically clean the blood. However, nephritis is usually a short-term problem and patients can recover within a few months.
Do I have a Vimovo Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Vimovo induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with interstitial nephritis, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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