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News Articles >> Another Study Confirms Avandia Heart Fai..
Another Study Confirms Avandia Heart Failure Risks
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| October 1, 2007. By Heidi Turner |  RSS  Del.icio.us  Seed Newsvine  Facebook |
Chicago, IL: Yet another study has confirmed that the diabetes drug Avandia raises the risk of heart failure. The study adds fuel to the growing controversy about whether or not Avandia should still be available for diabetes patients.
The most recent study was published in the journal [Lancet] (September 29, 2007) and found that patients with a history of heart disease and heart failure have as high as a 72 percent increased risk of heart failure while taking Avandia. That risk decreased for patients who had no history of heart problems.
The study was conducted by pooling data from seven different clinical trials to study the risk of Avandia and a similar drug called Actos. Researchers from the Lahey Clinic included over 20,000 patients who were given either Actos or Avandia to treat type-2 diabetes in the study.
Results from the Lancet study confirm earlier studies that also found a higher risk of heart failure in patients taking Avandia. Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart does not pump blood throughout the body efficiently. Symptoms of heart failure include swollen ankles or legs (known as peripheral edema), shortness of breath, angina, fatigue, weight gain or loss and loss of appetite. Anyone taking Avandia who experiences symptoms of heart failure should seek medical attention immediately.
In a comment that appears in the same issue of the Lancet, some doctors are now questioning studies that only show that a drug works on one level, instead of looking at the overall effectiveness of the drug. They note that rather than showing that Avandia works simply because it lowers blood sugar levels, studies should show that Avandia helps diabetics live longer, healthier lives. Doing so would prevent the approval of drugs that appear to help initially but later prove to have devastating side effects.
Another comment published in Lancet notes that, "Unless limitations on the understanding, analysis, and communication of drug safety issues are addressed, the TZDs [Avandia and Actos] will simply become the latest in a series of preventable drug disasters."
Avandia currently has a black box warning alerting consumers to the risk of heart failure in patients taking the diabetes drug. Earlier this year the FDA convened a panel to discuss whether or not Avandia should be taken off the market. Although panel members agreed that Avandia users faced a higher risk of heart attack, the panel did not recommend that it be withdrawn from the market.
Avandia is known also known as rosiglitazone and is used to treat type-2 diabetes. It is in a class of drug known as thiazolidinediones (TZDs) and works by lowering blood sugar levels. Patients with a history of heart failure who are taking Avandia should consult a doctor before discontinuing their medicine. Some researchers urge doctors to avoid giving Avandia to any patient who is at risk for heart failure.
[Lawsuits] have been filed against GlaxoSmithKline, maker of Avandia, alleging the company knew or should have known about the risks associated with Avandia but failed to warn consumers.
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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