Diabetics May be at an Increased Avandia Cardiovascular Risk

Rosiglitazone is a prescription medication that has recently come under scrutiny from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because of the elevated Avandia cardiovascular risk. The medical therapeutic is typically prescribed to patients of type II diabetes, a dangerous disease that is characterized by the following symptoms of erratic blood sugar fluctuations.

Increased thirst
Increased urination
Increased hunger
Unexplained weight loss
Unexplained fatigue
Blurred vision
Slow-healing sores
Frequent infections
Areas of darkened skin

As recently as 2007, studies were published connecting Rosiglitazone to several life-threatening maladies, including pulmonary edema, or the collection of liquid in the lungs. This issue is treatable with options as simple as additional oxygen and vitamins, but only if the victim makes it to the hospital on time. Without proper and timely attention, the sickness can also prove fatal in a large portion of the population. For this reason, be sure to call a health care professional immediately, or visit the local hospital, if you experience any of the following issues while taking any medication that contains Rosiglitazone:

Difficulty breathing
A pronounced feeling of suffocation resulting from breathing problems
Wheezing or gasping
Anxiety
Coughing up froth or blood
Sweating
Pale skin
Chest pain
Irregular heartbeat

Introduced by GlaxoSmithKline in 1999, the drug tends to come in three forms. In the brand name variant, the main drug is prescribed as is. In one variant called Avandamet, Rosiglitazone is combined with metformin, the most popular anti-diabetic drug, into a single pill. In another variant, Rosiglitazone is combined primarily with glimepiride, and sold on the market as Avandaryl.

Eight years after initial release, two studies exposed painful side effects of the dangerous diabetes drug , and forced the FDA to closely examine the treatment. The first study was released on May 21, 2007, and appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine, a respected, peer-reviewed journal that covers important medical issues. This report indicated that the diabetes medications were definitely causing the dangerous adverse reactions in some patients. Additional mild contraindications of the therapy include:

Upper respiratory infections (similar to a flu cold),
Headaches,
Unusual swelling or weight gain from irregular fluid accumulation (edema)
Decreased effectiveness of birth control regimens

It is important to note that diabetics are already at a higher risk of the cardiovascular complications listed above, including congestive heart failure and heart disease. And many victims are upset about the fact that the proposed cure to their life-long illness could cause increased risk of problems like pulmonary edema. The FDA received so many confirmed complaints of this ailment that they have since required GlaxoSmithKline to put “black box” warnings on the prescription information and product packaging. This is the strongest warning that can be placed on any legal drug.

If you have ever taken Avandia, Avandamet, or Avandaryl, or any other Rosiglitazone, and your doctor or physician has diagnosed any of the resulting illnesses listed above, you may be eligible to join an existing lawsuit, or begin one of your own. To find out if you qualify, contact one of our responsible attorneys today.