Diabetes associations urge caution with use of Avandia and Actos
Diabetes associations from the United States and Europe indicated this week that doctors should exercise greater caution when prescribing oral type 2 diabetes drugs like Avandia and Actos. An increased risk of heart attacks has been associated with Avandia, and both diabetes drugs have been linked to a risk of heart failure.
>>INFORMATION: Avandia Heart Attack Lawsuits
The European Association for the Study of Diabetes and the American Diabetes Association updated their “consensus statement” about the use of oral diabetes drugs for treatment of type 2 diabetes. The report indicates that both Avandia and Actos, but particularly Avandia, may result in an increased frequency of heart attacks. Greater caution was urged when prescribing one of the drugs, especially for those with risk factors for congestive heart failure.
The report comes about two weeks after the FDA announced that they were not requiring an Avandia recall, despite strong feelings by some inside the agency that the drug should be pulled. Instead, the FDA said that Avandia should carry a stronger “black box” warning indicating that it may cause chest pains and heart attacks. The new warnings will be added to an existing black box warning about the risk of congestive heart failure which was added earlier this year.
AVANDIA HEART RISKS
Concerns have grown about Avandia heart risks since a report was published in the New England Journal of Medicine six months ago, in May 2007. That study, which reviewed data involving 28,000 patients, found that users of Avandia could face a 43% increase in the risk of heart attacks. As a result of the findings, many doctors have already taken their patients off of the diabetes drug and sales have plummeted for Avandia, which was previously GlaxoSmithKline PLC’s second biggest seller averaging about $3.3 billion a year.
Another report released this week by an FDA medical reviewer, who was involved in the original application for Avandia, indicates that there should be a change in the way diabetes drugs are tested before gaining approval. In the December 2007 issue of the journal Diabetes Care, Dr. Robert Misbin, a medical officer at the FDA, indicated that experimental diabetes drugs should be held to a higher safety standard and be compared to existing drugs, instead of the traditional test against a placebo.
AVANDIA HEART ATTACK LAWSUITS
The Avandia lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. represent individuals nationwide who have suffered a heart attack, stroke, congestive heart failure or death after taking Avandia. The manufacturer failed to provide adequate warnings about the heart risks associated with their diabetes drug, which has exposed thousands of people to serious and life threatening injuries which could have been prevented.
If you, a friend or family member believe you may have suffered a heart injury as a side effect of Avandia, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.
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