Call Today: (800) 639-7580
Submit your Avandia claim details for a free, no obligation case review
Get Started:
The once-popular diabetes drug Avandia significantly raises the risk of heart failure and heart attack, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association . A second study casts further doubt on the safety of the drug.
The First Study
Researchers at Wake Forest University conducted an analysis of four long-term studies involving more than 14,000 patients and came to virtually the same conclusion as a study published earlier this year—Avandia doubles the risk of heart failure and increases the risk of heart attack by more than 40 percent.
“If you use Avandia to treat patients with Type 2 diabetes, their chance of getting heart failure due to Avandia is one in 30 and their risk of getting a heart attack is one in 220. All due to the drug,” said Dr. Sonal Singh, co-author of the study.
In an interview, Dr. Singh pointed out additional risks associated with Avandia, including blindness and bone fractures in women.
He said the FDA should consider pulling the drug from the market, citing “older and cheaper drugs that are far better to treat diabetes.”
The Second Study
The second study, conducted by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic, examined data from clinical trials of Actos, another diabetes medication. Researchers found that Actos increases the risk of reversible heart failure but lowers the risk of heart attack, stroke and death by 18 percent.
“I think this shows that these drugs aren't the same,” said Dr. A. Michael Lincoff of the Cleveland Clinic's department of cardiovascular medicine.
Dr. Lincoff added that Actos should probably be used before Avandia for treating Type 2 diabetes patients. A similar opinion was expressed by Dr. Daniel H. Solomon, who authored an editorial accompanying the two studies. He called Avandia “a drug of last resort.”
Controversial Diabetes Medication
Avandia has been the subject of much controversy since May when the New England Journal of Medicine published a meta-analysis of 44 studies that linked the drug to an increased risk of heart attacks.
Although the drug company criticized this analysis, the Food and Drug Administration saw fit to add an urgent black box warning to the Avandia's label. In July, a federal advisory panel decided that the drug should remain on the market despite its risks.
Nevertheless, many doctors have switched their patients to alternative medications and sales of Avandia have dropped sharply.
(Source: The New York Times online)
Injured by Avandia? An experienced lawyer can help you understand your legal rights. Contact us today to arrange a complimentary consultation.