The diabetes drug Avandia, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), has been associated with a significantly higher incidence of heart attacks and death according to a major research analysis conducted by doctors at the renowned Cleveland Clinic and reported May 21, 2007 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Avandia, generically rosiglizatone, was found to have a 43% greater risk of heart attack and a 64% greater risk of heart-related death.
Both the study’s lead author and the editors of The New England Journal of Medicine cautioned that the research method used left the findings open to interpretation. But they said the study nevertheless raised important concerns. And the publication of the study on the journal’s website prompted the Food and Drug Administration to issue a public safety alert and advise users of the drug — an estimated million people in this country and two million worldwide — to consult their doctors about the potential cardiovascular risks.
Avandia, a pill on the market since 1999, is used for the treatment of Type 2, or adult-onset, diabetes. It is sold alone as Avandia and in combination with other drugs as Avandamet and Avandryl. With $3 billion in worldwide sales last year, it was GSK’s second-biggest product after the asthma inhalant Advair.
If you are taking Avandia for diabetes, you should consult your physician immediately to discuss the potential risks of continued usage. If you or someone you love suffered a heart attack, congestive heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, liver injury or heart-related death that is potentially associated with the use of Avandia, you should contact a lawyer that has experience handling dangerous drug cases at your earliest possible convenience.
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