Avandia for Diabetes causing heart attacks in the elderly ?
After yesterday's welcome news that Nexium does not precipitate heart attacks, today the news is more somber, Avandia used in the treatment of Diabetes might be causing heart attacks.
Today, December 12, 2007, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) ran the result of research in Ontario, Canada. The researchers involved are based at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Science in Toronto (ICES).
Avandia is used in the treatment of Type Diabetes. This study comes to a conclusion that the increased risks of Avandia are considerable. In the view of the researchers anyone taking Avandia has a 60% increased risk of heart failure, 40% higher chance of a heart attack and a 30% increased risk of death compared to other patients taking other diabetes medications.
This study looked at everyone in Ontario taking Avandia over a 4 year period and from this population drew the conclusion that out of every 100 people taking Avandia: there would be 5 additional deaths.
GlaxoSmithKline make Avandia and state that the risk is not as bad as the research would indicate because the patients being treated with Avandia tend to be sicker than the average and hence at higher risk. The FDA agrees with this and has no plans to further restrict Avandia use - Avandia already has a black box warning label.
The trial lawyers are happy with the position of the FDA and GlaxoSmithKline. This could be another money maker for the lawyers.
Today, December 12, 2007, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) ran the result of research in Ontario, Canada. The researchers involved are based at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Science in Toronto (ICES).
Avandia is used in the treatment of Type Diabetes. This study comes to a conclusion that the increased risks of Avandia are considerable. In the view of the researchers anyone taking Avandia has a 60% increased risk of heart failure, 40% higher chance of a heart attack and a 30% increased risk of death compared to other patients taking other diabetes medications.
This study looked at everyone in Ontario taking Avandia over a 4 year period and from this population drew the conclusion that out of every 100 people taking Avandia: there would be 5 additional deaths.
GlaxoSmithKline make Avandia and state that the risk is not as bad as the research would indicate because the patients being treated with Avandia tend to be sicker than the average and hence at higher risk. The FDA agrees with this and has no plans to further restrict Avandia use - Avandia already has a black box warning label.
The trial lawyers are happy with the position of the FDA and GlaxoSmithKline. This could be another money maker for the lawyers.
Labels: avandia, GlaxoSmithKline, health risk, heart attacks, ICES
posted by GarethPhillips at
6:48 PM
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