Lawyer's Concerns over Diabetic Drug Rosiglitazone (Avandia)

An article published in the British Medical Journal 18 August 2009  compared the risk of acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, and death in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with rosiglitazone (also known as Avandia) and pioglitazone. The article concluded that among older patients with diabetes, pioglitazone is associated with a significantly lower risk of heart failure and death than is rosiglitazone.  The article concludes that there is a growing body of evidence that indicates the use of rosiglitazone is harmful and questions whether its use in any circumstances can be justified."

"Rosiglitazone is an anti-diabetic drug in the thiazolidinedione class of drugs. It is marketed by the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline as a stand-alone drug (Avandia) and in combination with metformin (Avandamet) or with glimepiride (Avandaryl). "

"In 2009 the RECORD study, an open label trial published in the Lancet, found that there was no increase in cardiovascular hospitalisation or death with rosiglitazone compared to metformin plus sulfonylurea, but the rate of heart failure causing admission to hospital or death was significantly increased.[11]

"As early as September 2005, both Rosiglitazone and Pioglitazone have been suspected of causing Macular Edema, which causes partial blindness in various spots of the angle of vision. While blindness is also a possible effect of diabetes, which Rosiglitazone is intended to treat, an article in Canadian journal CMAJ has documented several occurrences and recommends discontinuation at the first sign of vision problems. Both TZD's are contraindicated in patients with NYHA Class III and IV heart failure."