Avandia News

Recent study links Avandia and Actos to increased bone breaks

-Examiner - Knoxville

06/15/2009 - Be careful!Dr. Merri Pendergrass presented a study of bone fractures in close to 70,000 patients taking either rosiglitazone (Avandia) or pioglitazone (Actos) at the 2009 American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions. Fracture risk appears to be increased by 40% for patients taking these medications. The study required carefully picked control groups as diabetes itself can increase the risk of fractures. In this case Dr. Pendergrass and colleagues searched the Medco database (containing over 13 million medical records). They limited their search to diabetes patients between the ages of 43 and 63 with a prescription for either rosiglitazone, pioglitazone, metformin, exenatide, or a sulfonylurea drug. They also took into account a host of other disease afflicting this population such as asthma, osteoporosis, and stroke, organizing their data such that patients with appropriate disease sets could be compared.

The most important finding was that both men and women had an increased risk of fractures if taking rosiglitazone or pioglitazone but no differential risk was observed when these two drugs were compared. Interestingly, patients who were recently prescribed one of these two drugs had no increased risk. The time to increased risk appeared to be around 18 months. Additionally, among the younger patients who were taking these drugs, the increase in fracture risk only appeared in the female population. The study had no way to control for smoking or alcohol consumption – two behaviors known to be associated with increased fracture risk.

Rosiglitazone and pioglitazone are both members of the drug class called thiazolidinedione (often abbreviated TZD). These drugs actually modify certain DNA binding proteins which promote the transcription and expression of glucose transporters. Taking these drugs thus allows the patient to absorb more glucose into tissues and get the glucose out of the blood where it causes damage. These drugs are important additions to the diabetes armamentarium as they are one of the few therapies that work in an insulin independent fashion and so can synergize with insulin action.

The bottom line is that if you have been taking these drugs for awhile, you have an increased risk for breaking a bone. However, if you have been exercising regularly your bones are increased in density and are less likely to break. If you are contemplating starting an exercise program, please confer with your doctor and/or a personal trainer to set up a program which protects your bones during the initial period. Nothing decreases enthusiasm like a leg cast.

If you or a loved one have experienced an Avandia heart attack, or Avandia stroke, Avandia congestive heart failure, Avandia cardiovascular disease or if you have lost a loved one to an Avandia death you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the Avandia lawyers of Ennis & Ennis, P.A. today about an Avandia lawsuit. Call us toll free for a free, confidential case evaluation or fill out our online Avandia case evaluation form