Dangerous Diabetes Drug Avandia May Cause Heart and Liver Problems and Other Health Risks

Diabetes has reached near-epidemic proportions in the United States, and pharmaceutical companies have produced a number of drugs that control blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics, a source of significant corporate profits. Unfortunately, these drugs have been thrown onto the market without the companies demonstrating that they are safe to use. Avandia (the trade name for the drug rosiglitazone) became one of the most widely-prescribed diabetes drugs after getting FDA approval in 1999. Tragically, many people who took Avandia to improve their health ended up harming it instead. A person who has suffered a heart attack, stroke, or other health problem as a result of taking this dangerous drug may have a cause of action to recover monetary compensation from the manufacturer.

What Are the Risks ?

A 2007 study found that Avandia may increase heart attack risk by as much as 43 percent and can double the risk of heart failure after taking it for one year. Avandia has also been linked to a 27 percent increased risk of stroke. According to some estimates, Avandia has been responsible for causing 83,000 heart attacks, just in the United States, while others put the number as high as 200,000.

The U.S. Senate Finance Committee conducted a two year long study that showed GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturer of Avandia, knew about the danger to the heart posed by the drug for years and downplayed concerns expressed by doctors about its safety, when they should have been making doctors and patients aware of the risks. The pharmaceutical giant pleaded guilty in 2012 to charges that it withheld information obtained from studies conducted between 2001 and 2007 that revealed the heart risk of taking the drug.

Other health problems associated with Avandia include a significantly increased risk of bones fractures, partial blindness caused by damage to the retina, and acute hepatitis often resulting in liver failure.

Although Avandia can no longer be prescribed in Europe, South Africa, and New Zealand, the FDA has not removed it from the U.S. market, but added a black box warning and placed restrictions on prescribing it.

If You Are a Victim of Avandia

If you or a family member has suffered from a heart attack, congestive heart failure, stroke, liver damage, loss of vision, or bone fractures after being prescribed Avandia, your best course of action is to consult an attorney with experience handling drug liability cases. Las Vegas attorney Eric Woods has more than thirty years of experience getting compensation for victims of negligence in personal injury and wrongful death cases involving product liability, including liability for harm caused by dangerous drugs.

Eric understands that for many victims, it’s not about the money but about holding the pharmaceutical corporations accountable to those individuals and families they have harmed and making them face up to the damage their greed has caused. Nothing will bring back a loved one who has died or restore the health of a person with a damaged heart or liver, but making these companies pay and pay big is the best way to discourage their irresponsible behavior in the future.

Schedule an appointment with Las Vegas personal attorney Eric Woods right away to discuss what happened to you or your family member after being prescribed Avandia. This is the best way to protect your legal right to compensation. There are time limits on filing, so don’t delay. There is no need to worry about the cost of hiring an experienced lawyer to represent you, because you will pay absolutely nothing until Eric wins money for you.