Warning About Diabetes Drug

Filed in archive Digestive Health on May 24, 2007

If you suffer from diabetes, and you are taking the drug Avandia, a new scientific analysis warns that the use of the drug may increase the risk of heart attacks. An article from CBC.ca News states:

More than six million people worldwide, including patients in Canada, have taken the drug sold by London-based GlaxoSmithKline PLC since it came on the market eight years ago. Pooled results of dozens of studies revealed a 43 per cent higher risk of heart attack, according to the review published by the New England Journal of Medicine.

However, experts said that the risk is small and warned patients not to stop taking Avandia without talking to their doctor. The Avandia web site explains the use of the drug and possible side effects:

Avandia, along with diet and exercise, helps improve blood sugar control. It may be taken alone or with other diabetes medicines.

Diabetes About.com warns:

One of the concerns addressed in the study was that people with type 2 diabetes already have cardiac problems as a result of complications from their diabetes. If they are also on Avandia, their risk might be higher for fatal cardiac events.