New Report on Avandia Risks

July 16, 2007. By Anne Borden

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Boston, MA: The July issue of The New England Journal of Medicine reports an association between Avandia and heart failure, with more than twice as many heart failure cases in patients taking Avandia versus other diabetes drugs.

An editorial published with the study advises doctors to consider the findings as they make prescription recommendations. "When it comes to patient safety, 'first, do no harm' should outweigh any presumption of innocence," wrote David Nathan, MD, of Harvard Medical School and the Diabetes Center at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

About the Report
The report comes from the interim results of a six-year Avandia study sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline. "The final report will be more extensive," wrote the researchers.
4,447 patients with type 2 diabetes, 58 years old, on average, were studied. Apart from their diabetes, they were generally in good health. Researchers tracked the patients' hospitalization or death from any cardiovascular problems.

Another editorial in the journal discussed the role of patient-doctor communication in making decisions about prescription drugs. "Together, patients and physicians can decide whether they wish to suspend the use of [Avandia]," wrote Dr. Bruce Psaty of the University of Washington's cardiovascular health research unit.

Confirms Earlier Findings
Avandia is part of a class of drugs which have been linked to liver and cardiovascular issues. Avandia labels warn of increased risk of congestive heart failure and rare but serious liver problems. A May 21 New England Journal of Medicine report concluded that Avandia raised the risk of heart attacks by 43 percent, and might also increase the risk of heart-related deaths.

Oxford University diabetes researcher Rury Holman told Bloomberg News that the New England Journal of Medicineresults were cause for concern.

"These people are ... relatively healthy patients ... early diagnosis, they haven't got complications," Holman said. "The fact that we're seeing these cardiovascular effects in them, we can't deny that."

Avandia Legal Help
If you or a family member have used Avandia and have suffered heart attack or liver damage after taking Avandia, please contact a lawyer involved in a possible [Avandia Lawsuit] who will review your case at no cost or obligation.
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