-December 12, 2007
A new report claims that older patients who take Avandia and Actos, both drugs used to treat diabetes, are at risk for heart attack, congestive heart failure and death.
GlaxoSmithKline PLC manufactures Avanida and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., makes Actos.
Diabetes Medications Cause Concern
Both Avandia and Actos were introduced in the 1990’s to treat type-2 diabetes.
Since its approval, Avandia has been linked with an increased risk of heart attack and death in patients, particularly those who are elderly. Actos has been linked to an increased risk of heart failure.
Researchers from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Toronto recently conducted a study of patients taking Avandia and Actos who were older than 65.
Study Analyzes Affects on Older Patients
The study analyzed 159,026 patients who were followed over a three-year period and compared with patients taking other diabetes treatments.
People who were treated with one of the drugs had a 60 percent risk of heart failure, 40 percent increased risk of heart attack and 29 percent risk of death. However, one researcher noted that the risk primarily came from Avandia since twice as many patients were taking Avandia than Actos.
“These findings provide evidence from a real-world setting and support data from clinical trials that the harms of these types of medications could outweigh their benefits, even in patients with obvious baseline cardiovascular disease,” explained one of the researchers from the project.
(Source: Wall Street Journal)
Do you have a loved one who has been harmed by a diabetes drug? If so, please contact us today to speak with an experienced attorney who will evaluate your case and ensure that you and your loved ones are receiving the legal support that you are entitled to.
