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AVANDIA^®

What is Avandia?

Avandia is used to treat patients suffering from type 2 diabetes, a disease linked to obesity that afflicts 18 million people in the U.S. and 200 million people worldwide. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to produce adequate insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin it does produce. Avandia works by increasing the patient's insulin sensitivity and improves glycemic control.

Avandia is a compound of rosiglitazone maleate and is in the same class of drugs as Rezulin, a very dangerous drug associated with causing severe liver injury including liver failure curable only by a liver transplant. When Avandia was first introduced to the market, it was considered a breakthrough in the treatment of diabetes and seemed to provide a safer alternative to Rezulin. In 2006, Avandia's maker, GlaxoSmithKline profited greatly from the drug. It generated $2.2 billion in U.S. sales with approximately 13 million filled prescriptions.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

On May 21, 2007, a medical journal published a report suggesting that Avandia increases the risk of heart attacks and possibly deaths. The New England Journal of Medicine reports that collective studies conducted on 28,000 people revealed a 43 percent higher risk of heart attack in Avandia patients compared to those taking other diabetes drugs or no drugs. This finding is alarming especially because two-thirds of Type 2 diabetes patients already suffer from cardiovascular problems so a drug amplifying their risk of developing heart problems is especially dangerous to them. The complete report published by the New England Journal of Medicine can be found at: http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMoa072761

The following day, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a safety alert on Avandia and urged patients to talk to their doctors about the new information and evaluate ongoing treatment options for their Type 2 diabetes. You can read the complete 2007 Safety Summary at: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01636.html

SIDE EFFECTS

Avandia is associated with a number of serious risks, most of them involving the cardiovascular system. These side effects include:

Heart failure or damage
Heart valve disease
Edema
Blood artery disease
Heart attack

Other side effects of Avandia may include diabetic macular edema (a swelling of the retina that can interfere with vision). Symptoms of this condition include blurry or distorted vision and swelling of the ankle, leg, or feet.

AVANDIA IN THE NEWS

The newly developed information regarding Avandia's dangers has placed the drug and drug manufacturers at the forefront of media attention. You can read about Avandia in the following articles:

CONTACT US TODAY

If you have used or are currently using Avandia and are experiencing chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, pain in your left arm, irregular heartbeat, swelling of the legs or other symptoms associated with cardiovascular disease, you should immediately contact your physician.

If you believe you or someone you know may have suffered from the negative effects of Avandia, you owe it to yourself to speak to an attorney about your legal right to recover for your damages and injuries. Hackard & Holt has a wealth of experience in pharmaceutical product liability litigation. Our firm possesses the expertise and the resources necessary to obtain the best results for our clients. Contact our experienced and compassionate pharmaceutical attorneys today for a free evaluation of your case so we can hold the responsible parties accountable and achieve just compensation for you or your loved ones.