Avandia News

Diabetes drug users urged to see doctor

-News.com.au

08/20/2008- MORE than 30,000 Australians taking the controversial diabetes drugs Avandia and Avandamet are being told to have their treatment reviewed after the medications were linked with heart failure and death.

Pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) says all patients need to see their doctor as soon as possible after major changes were made to the drugs' guidelines for use.

The changes, ordered by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), come after two major studies released last year showed the products doubled the risk of heart failure and death in some people.

Under the new guidelines, no patients with any degree of cardiac failure should take the drugs, and they must not be taken with insulin.

No new patients should be started on so-called triple therapy, a common course of three drugs in combination to treat diabetes.

Dr Michael Elliott, medical director of GSK Australia, said the TGA had assessed the available data and decided this was the best course of action for Australian patients.

"Our primary focus is on informing doctors of the changes so they can review the treatment of patients currently on Avandia or Avandamet, in accordance with the changes to the product information,'' Dr Elliot said.

"Patients using Avandia or Avandamet should continue taking their medication but make an appointment with their doctor to review their treatment as soon as possible.''

Avandia, known generically as rosiglitazone, first came under the spotlight in May when a New England Journal of Medicine study found it could increase the risk of heart failure and death by 43 per cent.

This also implicates Avandamet, which is Avandia combined with another diabetes treatment, metformin.

Another report published in Diabetes Care last July showed that Avandia and a related drug, Actos, doubled the risk of heart failure in some patients.

Actos manufacturer Eli Lilly has yet to advise whether the 30,000 Australians on this drug were subject to similar changes.

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.