Deaths From Avandia

As a drug prescribed to control high blood sugar and Type II diabetes, Avandia is designed to help prevent deaths. Unfortunately, new information has emerged suggesting that in many cases, Avandia actually increases preventable, unnecessary deaths among diabetes patients.

In May of 2007 -- about eight years after Avandia entered the market -- the New England Journal of Medicine published a study showing that Avandia significantly increases the risk of heart attacks and other life-threatening cardiovascular problems. Because two out of three diabetics die of heart disease already, the new study meant that Avandia significantly elevated the risk of death and serious health problems for millions of diabetics around the world.

In the study, a survey of 42 clinical trials of the drug’s safety, scientists found that patients taking Avandia actually increased their risk of death from cardiovascular illness by 64 percent. In addition, Avandia raised patients’ risk of heart attacks -- which can lead to immediate death or weaken the heart -- by 43 percent. Among the 28,000 diabetics in the study, more than 65 percent had died of heart disease, the authors said. In a summer 2007 report, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Avandia had caused at least 83,000 “excess” heart attacks since it entered the market.

Unfortunately, heart problems are already very common in the United States. Heart disease is the leading cause of non-injury death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, killing almost 700,000 Americans each year. Survivors of heart attacks, or myocardial infarction, often emerge with damaged hearts that can’t pump blood as well as they used to, which puts the patient at risk for another attack, a stroke and other serious problems. Ironically, Avandia was originally part of doctors’ strategy for preventing heart attacks in Type II diabetic patients. Medical authorities agree that controlling diabetes helps lower a patient’s risk of death from heart attacks, congestive heart failure and other cardiac diseases. The discovery that Avandia may actually increase the risk of cardiac death means many patients and doctors may have actually hurt their own health, simply by trying to do the right thing.

Even worse, evidence is growing that Avandia’s manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, knew its product could cause life-threatening heart problems years before the information was made public. In the weeks following the New England Journal of Medicine report, a diabetes expert named Dr. John Buse testified before Congress that he told medical conference attendees in 1999 about suspected safety problems with Avandia. Shortly afterward, he said, pharmaceutical executives threatened to sue him over a $4 billion drop in the company’s stock prices. Dr. Buse, a 2007 president of the American Diabetes Association, testified that he asked the company to “please call off the dogs,” but sent a letter to the FDA explaining his concerns a year later. Nonetheless, it took seven more years for the FDA to take action. During that time, GlaxoSmithKline made billions of dollars in Avandia sales worldwide each year.

If you’ve lost someone you love to a heart problem that you suspect was caused by Avandia use, you deserve answers. You may have high funeral expenses, medical bills, and the sudden loss of an income to worry about, as well as the heartache of losing a loved one too soon. To deal with these practical realities and prevent others from facing the same pain, more and more Avandia users and their loved ones are filing Avandia lawsuits. If you are considering Avandia litigation, Anapol Schwartz can help. Contact us today for a free consultation on your case.

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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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