About Diabetes Medications

For all diabetics, the first treatments recommended are always lifestyle changes: diet, exercise, and if necessary, weight loss. But these are hard changes to make, and they don’t work for everyone.

Several medicines are available to Type II diabetics who can’t keep their blood sugar down with diet and exercise alone.

Most people are familiar with Type I diabetes, in which the body simply can’t produce the insulin it needs to process food. The only treatment choice for Type I diabetics is injected insulin. By contrast, Type II diabetics are people whose bodies make some insulin, but not enough, and whose cells don’t absorb glucose well. Because they still have the tools to make and process insulin, Type II diabetics can use medications that help their bodies respond normally to food, in addition to or instead of insulin. The American Diabetes Association lists five classes of drug available to Type II diabetics.

Sulfonylureas (whose brand names include Glucotrol, Diabenise, Micronase and Amaryl) are some of the oldest and best-tested diabetes pills on the market. They work by stimulating the pancreas to release more insulin. Meglitinides (Prandin, Starlix) also make the pancreas produce more insulin. Both types are taken with meals. Doctors don’t recommend mixing the two types of drugs, because if combined, they could cause very low blood-sugar levels (hypoglycemia). People taking these drugs should also be careful about mixing them with alcohol, which can cause flushing, vomiting or sickness.

Biguanides (Glucophage) decrease the amount of sugars the body produces from food and make cells more likely to absorb those sugars. Some people have diarrhea with biguanides unless they’re taken with food.

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (Precose and Glyset) stop the body from breaking down starches and some sugars, which in turn stops these foods from raising your blood-sugar level. They may cause gas and diarrhea. A newer class of medications, DPP-4 inhibitors (Januvia), works similarly by preventing the breakdown of a body chemical that regulates blood sugar.

Thiazolidinediones (Avandia, Actos) are relatively new drugs that increase the body’s efficiency in using insulin, and also decrease the amount of sugars produced from food. The first commercially available drug in this class, Rezulin, had to be removed from the market because it caused toxic liver failure in some patients. Avandia and Actos were approved as replacements, but doctors are still advised to monitor their patients closely for liver problems.

Because thiazolidinediones are good at controlling blood sugar without the weight gain or other side effects of earlier drugs, they were originally welcomed as a breakthrough for diabetics. However, evidence is growing that at least one of these drugs, Avandia, has serious safety problems that may make it inappropriate for many diabetics. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in May 2007 found that users of Avandia raised their risk of heart attacks by 43 percent and their risk of heart-related death by 64 percent. This was especially disturbing because diabetes raises the risk of heart problems significantly. Doctors prescribe diabetes drugs in part to lower their patients’ risk of these types of serious complications.

Since the risk of Avandia heart attacks, risk of death from Avandia and other risky Avandia side effects were made public, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has required increasingly stringent black box warnings on the drug’s label, and new prescriptions of the drug have fallen dramatically. The FDA has banned the use of Avandia with insulin or nitrates, and asked patients with known heart problems, or with symptoms of heart problems, to talk to their doctors as soon as possible about changing medications. Faced with this information, many patients are switching back to older drugs with a longer record of safe use. Many others, concerned about the health effects of the medicine they trusted, are thinking about Avandia litigation.

Have you or someone you love suffered a heart attack, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, liver toxicity or other serious health problems that may have been caused by Avandia? Talk to us. You may have an Avandia lawsuit.

Please fill out the form below to see if you have an Avandia 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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