If you’ve ever had heartburn, then you know how painful and uncomfortable it can be. Like most people, you probably turned to an over-the-counter solution first, and if that didn’t work you went to your doctor to find relief. There are a lot of medications that are being recommended and prescribed to treat heartburn and more serious digestive disorders such as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). The problem is that these medications might also be a cause of kidney disease.

The medications in question are Prilosec, Nexium and Prevacid, which are proton pump inhibitors. Prilosec and Prevacid are available over the counter, but doctors can also write prescriptions for them to allow patients to use their health insurance to cover the costs. According to an article on the CBS News website, these medications were used by 15 million people in the United States in 2013. That’s 15 million people who now have an increased risk of kidney disease.

Doctors have now started to limit how long their patients can be on these drugs, but has too much damage already been done?

As your St. Louis defective drug attorneys, we’re always concerned about your safety when it comes to medications and your health. If you’ve been diagnosed with kidney disease or kidney failure, and you’ve been taking one of these medications, please contact a St. Louis defective drug attorney right away. You may be entitled to compensation.