Avandia Heart Attacks

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart attacks (myocardial infarction) are the number-one non-injury killer in the United States. Nearly 700,000 Americans die each year from heart attacks, and heart attack survivors come away with pain, disabilities and weakened hearts that could lead to a stroke or another heart attack.

Our nation’s 20 million Type II diabetics are at an even higher risk for a heart attack because of the strain that insulin resistance and its symptoms can put on the body. The American Diabetes Association estimates that two out of every three diabetics die of cardiovascular disease. Controlling diabetes and its symptoms is a key part of the way diabetics and their doctors try to lower their risk of a heart attack or other cardiovascular diseases.

Unfortunately, scientists have discovered that one drug prescribed to control diabetes and its risk of heart problems, Avandia, may actually cause heart attacks. A study published in May of 2007 in the New England Journal of Medicine found that Avandia (which doctors call rosiglitazone) increases patients’ risk of a heart attack by 43 percent. It also found that Avandia users’ risk of death from cardiovascular problems -- including heart attacks -- was increased by 64 percent. In response, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required Avandia’s manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, to include a black box warning on its label and issued new safety warnings for the drug.

Doctors are now being warned to avoid prescribing Avandia to patients who have heart problems or take nitrates. The agency has strengthened those warnings twice, most recently in November of 2007; Congress is now investigating the drug’s approval process. In a report issued in June 2007, the FDA suggested that Avandia may have caused at least 83,000 avoidable heart attacks since it entered the market in 1999.

If you or someone you care about has suffered a heart attack, you know how serious they are. Heart attacks are painful, life-threatening and frightening; survivors are at a huge risk for another myocardial infarction, a stroke, kidney problems or other cardiac disease. Some survivors may have permanent health problems that lower their quality of life; most will need to make big lifestyle changes to prevent another attack. And of course, the medical care for the heart attack and ongoing preventive treatment is not cheap. But what if this physical pain, emotional stress and financial strain could all have been prevented? What if the drug manufacturer had been willing to pay for more safety research, or at least be more honest about its product?

That’s the question that confronts Avandia users and their loved ones, as evidence grows that GlaxoSmithKline, Avandia’s manufacturer, may have known about the drug’s safety problems for years. Dr. John Buse, a diabetes expert who heads the University of North Carolina’s Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, testified to Congress that he spoke out about possible cardiac safety problems with Avandia in 1999. After his remarks at a medical convention, Dr. Buse said, the drug’s manufacturer threatened to sue him, citing a dramatic drop in their stock’s price. The next year, the doctor sent a letter with his concerns to the FDA, but the agency took no action until 2007. In its May 2007 safety warning about Avandia, the FDA cited “recent” information it had received from GlaxoSmithKline showing a 30-40 percent increase in the risk of heart attacks in Avandia users.

Until these safety concerns arose, Avandia was one of the world’s most popular diabetes drugs, the most popular drug in its U.S. market and generated $3 billion a year in sales worldwide. But sales have fallen, and more and more angry patients and their families are considering filing Avandia lawsuits. Avandia litigation can help patients hold drug makers responsible for their preventable health problems, secure compensation to pay for ongoing medical care and other Avandia side effects, and help prevent others from becoming victims.

If you or someone you love suffered a heart attack or other cardiac problems that you think might have been caused by Avandia, talk to us. An Avandia lawsuit might be in your future.

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AVANDIA INFORMATION
Dates you took Avandia	January February March April May June July August September October November December 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 1904 1903 1902 1901 To January February March April May June July August September October November December 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 1904 1903 1902 1901
Side Effects from Avandia:	Heart Attack Congestive Heart Failure Macular Edema Stroke Liver Complications PPH / Valve problems Other
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