karen otto
5 years ago
You Might Be Entitled to Receive a Legal Settlement for Heart Conditions Caused by Imodium Prescription and over-the-counter anti-diarrhea medications could cause serious heart issues and drug interactions. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released warning information about these drugs and has ordered changes to the drug labels and packaging because of the risks […]
Prescription and over-the-counter anti-diarrhea medications could cause serious heart issues and drug interactions. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released warning information about these drugs and has ordered changes to the drug labels and packaging because of the risks of serious injuries.
The product liability attorneys at Parker Waichman LLP are pursuing compensation on behalf of people injured by anti-diarrhea medications. We understand your injuries have affected your life in many ways, and you deserve accountability from the manufacturers. Our firm will work to secure the case outcome you and your family need during this difficult time.
If you took prescription or over the counter Imodium (loperamide hydrochloride) or another anti-diarrheal and suffered cardiac injuries or drug interactions, contact Parker Waichman today. Our attorneys will discuss your case details with you and help you understand whether you are eligible to file a legal claim against the drug manufacturers.
Imodium is a synthetic anti-diarrheal indicated for the control of the symptoms of diarrhea, including Travelers’ Diarrhea (consumption of contaminated foods or beverages). The medication is designed to manage periodic episodes of diarrhea, not chronic diarrhea, which can be an indication of a more complicated and serious medical condition.
Imodium works by binding to opioid receptors in the digestive tract, which has the effect of slowing digestion. When food moves slowly through the intestines and colon, patients’ stools will be more solid, which is one of the reasons many patients experience constipation when taking prescription opioids. Imodium, therefore, mimics the effects of opioids on the digestive system in addition to increasing tone of the anal sphincter. Patients usually find relief from their diarrhea symptoms within a short amount of time.
Patients can receive prescription loperamide from their doctors, or they can buy over-the-counter loperamide in the form of the following brand-name products:
All products sold under the Imodium brand name are manufactured by Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Johnson and Johnson Consumer Inc.
In 2016, the FDA issued a Safety Announcement indicating it had received numerous reports of serious heart issues and medication reactions in patients taking prescription loperamide and over-the-counter Imodium products. Between 1976 (when loperamide was first approved for use) and 2015, the FDA received 48 reports of serious cardiac problems associated with loperamide. More than half of these cases were reported to the FDA between 2011 and 2015. The reports showed 31 hospitalizations and 10 patient deaths associated with loperamide or Imodium use.
In its announcement, the FDA stated many patients were taking doses of loperamide and Imodium in excess of the recommended amounts, and others were taking the drugs in combination with certain interacting medications. In response, the FDA ordered new warning information for the drugs’ labels, explaining that heart complications could occur from taking the medications. This included the addition of a “Black Box” Warning, the most severe kind of drug warning, to the loperamide and Imodium drug labels.
The medical conditions identified by the FDA in 2016 can lead to life-threatening injuries. If you have experienced one of the below complications from taking loperamide or Imodium, contact our firm today to speak with an attorney.
Patients taking prescription or over-the-counter loperamide can experience the following cardiac issues:
These are serious heart complications that can lead to patient death. Cardiac arrest is a particularly frightening potential side effect for these drugs, which can often lead to death in patients. When patients develop one of these problems, they might feel their heart beating rapidly, might feel short of breath, or might experience chest pains. Any irregularities with the heart require immediate medical treatment.
The risk of cardiac complications and cardiac arrest can be amplified when patients take loperamide or Imodium in combination with certain other medications. Some of these medications include:
Loperamide and Imodium can also cause severe allergic reactions in patients taking the drugs. These reactions can be delayed but will often occur shortly after taking a dose of the medications. Some patients can experience anaphylaxis and anaphylactic shock, as well as other hypersensitivity reactions.
In 2018, the FDA released a follow-up Safety Announcement indicating that it was still receiving reports of cardiac problems and deaths in patients taking loperamide and Imodium. It did not appear to the FDA that the additional warning information was effective in communicating all of the risk information to patients or in preventing patients from taking inappropriate doses. The maximum recommended daily amount of the drugs is 8 mg. The FDA stated it was concerned patients might be taking too much of the drugs because of their opioid-like effects on the body. The FDA’s observation raises additional concerns about whether loperamide and Imodium can lead to drug dependence.
The FDA said in its Safety Announcement that it would work with loperamide and Imodium manufacturers to develop blister packaging or another single-dose packaging to limit the amount of the drugs consumers and patients receive at one time and to discourage misuse or abuse.
The propensity for these drugs to cause dependence and cardiac events is exceptionally alarming, and our attorneys are working to uncover the facts. We represent people injured by these drugs, as well as people who have lost their loved ones because of severe loperamide/Imodium complications. If you are looking for answers and for justice on behalf of yourself or a family member, contact Parker Waichman today for a free case consultation.
When you hire Parker Waichman to represent you, our attorneys will investigate your potential claims to determine your ability to file a lawsuit. If we are able to file a lawsuit on your behalf, we will seek the following types of damages:
Every case is different, and we develop unique legal strategies based on the facts and circumstances of each case. Your Imodium lawsuit lawyer will work with you to determine the extent of your injuries or your loved one’s injuries, and we will fight for the maximum compensation available to you. Contact us today to begin your case process with our skilled drug product attorneys.
If you suffered injuries from taking the drugs loperamide or Imodium, contact our law firm today. You can receive a completely free consultation with one of our experienced Imodium attorneys by calling 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529) or by filling out the Contact Form on our website.