Benicar, Benicar HCT, Azor and Tribenzor are prescription medications that treat high blood pressure. These medicines all contain, Olmesartan a medication that has been linked to 22 cases of sprue-like enteropathy.
According to the FDA, this rare gastro-intestinal disorder can cause symptoms that include severe and chronic diarrhea along with substantial weight loss. The conditions can take anywhere from a few months to years to develop and may require hospitalization. Researchers from The Mayo Clinic found that these 22 patients displayed symptoms suggestive of Celiac Disease. But when blood tests and a gluten-free diet didn’t support the diagnosis, researchers discontinued the use of the medication and the patients’ symptoms dramatically improved.
Since the Mayo Clinic’s research, reports from other centers and from individual patients have raised the total case count to more than 60.
If you’re taking Benicar, Benicar HCT, Azor or Tribenzor, and have noticed severe GI symptoms or substantial weight loss, you may want to discuss these side effects with your doctor.
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