Does Avandia cause heart attacks?

During the growing concern of Avandia and the possible increased risk of heart attacks, Dr. David Nathan again weighed in with an article in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in the June 5, 2007 issue. He asserts that although there is no firm evidence that Avandia causes heart attacks, this drug is not a person accused of a crime – there is no reason to presume that it is innocent. In fact, that could be a dangerous course of action for both doctors and patients.

Unfortunately, this is not the wisdom followed by most in the industry. GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of Avandia, outright denied that its diabetes drug increases the risk of heart attack. “[Our research shows] that Avandia has a cardiovascular safety profile comparable to other oral anti-diabetic medicines,” the company stated in a May 21, 2007 press release. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) itself historically tends to sit on the fence when making a decision about a controversial drug that it has already approved for sale.

Even medical journals seem to take the possibility of increased risk lightly. “The FDA, physicians, and patients can reasonably await the results of RECORD, a phase III trial designed specifically to study cardiovascular outcomes,” wrote the editors of The Lancet in a May 23, 2007 editorial. “Until the results of RECORD are in, it would be premature to overinterpret a meta-analysis that the authors and NEJM editorialists all acknowledge contains important weaknesses.” In other words, doctors and patients should just “wait and see” if Avandia causes heart attacks before deciding whether or not to stop taking it.

Consult a doctor first

There may be, as The Lancet describes, a “panic” among many diabetics confused about whether or not to stop taking the drug. But even those wary of Avandia are quick to point out that nobody should stop taking Avandia without talking to their doctor first about other options.

Perhaps that is the tipping of the scale: there are indeed many other options. “It is important to remember that there are now nine classes of antidiabetic medications available, including several older medications that are relatively [effective] in lowering glycated hemoglobin levels and are less expensive than the [Avandia-type drugs],” Dr. Nathan stated in his editorial. Given these other choices, he continues, in general doctors should not “feel comfortable” using a drug that is more expensive and has at least the possibility of severe cardiovascular side effects.

Even the maker of Avandia, GlaxoSmithKline, admits that there is no conclusive proof either way about whether or not Avandia raises the risk of heart attack. However, is it unreasonable to ask that the company should know how safe its own drug is, especially after eight years on the market? Drugs are supposed to help people, not harm them. Unfortunately, in the pharmaceutical industry, profits often come first.

If you or a loved one has suffered a heart attack or other serious cardiovascular event while taking Avandia, contact a personal injury lawyer with Jim S. Adler & Associates for a free case assessment. We may be able to help you secure a settlement to cover your additional medical bills and any lost time from work. We can also help you get compensation for your pain and suffering. Don’t settle for less. Fill out the form on this page with the details of your Avandia injury and start your free case review.

Additionally, Jim S. Adler & Associates has offices located at City Place Building, 2711 North Haskell Ave., Suite 2100 LB40, Dallas, Texas 75204-2887; San Pedro Plaza, 7330 San Pedro Ave., Suite 700, San Antonio, Texas 78216-6237; and Bank of America, 12605 East Freeway, Suite 400, Houston, Texas 77015-5619 (serving Channelview, Texas).