Avandia, Heart Attack and Diabetic Emacular Edema Don’t Mix

Diabetics taking Avandia may not be aware of the risk of heart attack and emacular edema. However some Avandia users have suffered the injury of cardiac arrest and emacular edema due to the use of the drug.   Avandia is also sold as Avandaryl (rosiglitazone maleate and glimepiride), and Avandamet (rosiglitazone maleate and metformin hydrochloride), which all contain rosiglitazone, and Actos (pioglitazone hydrochloride), Duetact (pioglitazone hydrochloride and glimepride) and Actoplus met, which all contain pioglitazone. The manufacturers have strengthened the warnings about the drugs on the drug labels, but this does not improve the outlook for those who are injured or will be injured by Avandia. There have been reports of death following cardiac arrest with a link to Avandia. There have been reports of diabetics suffering from emacular edema of which has been successfully treated.

Symptoms that display the risk of heart failure include:

• Rapid weight gain
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling and edema

Diabetics taking Avandia are advised to closely monitor themselves for heart failure.  Those with symptomatic heart failure, NYHA Class III or IV heart failure should refrain from taking Avandia. There are many other alternative medications that are available for diabetics. All medications do have side effect risks. However, the risk associated with some other medications is less than with Avandia. By the same token, there are medications for diabetics that have been associated with serious risks. For example, Byetta has been used by 1 million people since 2005. Once Byetta was used by a great number of people, it was discovered that the drug is linked to heart attack, stroke, and pancreatitis. Rezulin is another drug in which the side effects were so severe that it was removed from the market through a drug recall. In the end, diabetics must read the package inserts of drugs that they are taking to be fully informed about the risks associated with the drug.

Burton Padove assuredly represents the legal interests of people that have suffered serious harm from drug side effects. The types of serious medical conditions caused by drug makers that Burton Padove is filing lawsuits for include: Achilles Tendon Rupture from Levaquin, Skin Necrosis (death) from Gadolinium Contrast Dye used in MRI’s, heart attack and stroke from Yaz and Yasmin oral contraceptives, Lawsuits against the manufacturers of these drugs have been filed. More lawsuits are expected to follow.

If you or a loved one has been injured because of a drug side effect, call Burton Padove for a free consultation at 219-836-2200.