Information About Rosiglitazone (Avandia)
Rosiglitazone, marketed as Avandia, was originally developed and marketed as a diabetes drug to help control blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. Avandia was recommended to be combined with proper diet and exercise.
Avandia and Rezulin
Avandia and Rezulin are in the same class of drug. Both have been associated with serious liver injury, including liver failure leading to death.
Avandia and Heart Attacks
An upcoming New England Journal of Medicine article suggests that Avandia significantly increases the risk of heart attacks and cardiovascular death.
The NEJM article analyzes several clinical trials that compared patients taking Avandia, used to help control blood sugar in adults with Type-2 Diabetes, with those not using the drug. The results indicate that Avandia users had a 64 percent increase of cardiac-related deaths and 43 percent increase in heart attacks.
Other Avandia Side Effects
When Avandia is combined with some other diabetes drugs, there is a risk of developing extremely low blood sugar levels.
Another side effect of Avandia, like other similar drugs, is that Avandia may cause insulin resistant women to begin ovulating again, causing a risk of pregnancy in patients taking Avandia.
Other common Avandia side effects include:
- cough
- cold
- headache
- swelling of sinuses
- back pain
- fluid retention
If you or a loved one has taken Avandia and suffered side effects, please contact our office for a free evaluation.