Avandia Side Effects Lawsuits

Thousands of people who suffered Avandia side effects such as heart damage or heart failure have filed lawsuits because GlaxoSmithKline was aware of possible cardiac risks years before such evidence became public and they failed to warn patients or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of these risks.

What is Avandia?

Avandia (rosiglitazone), manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, is a prescription medication used to control high blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. Rosiglitazone also is available in the U.S. in combination with other diabetes medications, metformin under the brand name Avandamet or glimepiride under the brand name Avandaryl. It is in a class of drugs known as thiazolidinediones, or TZDs. Due to severe and potentially fatal Avandia side effects, the FDA restricted use of this drug only to those people who are unable to achieve glucose control with other diabetes medications and are unable to take Actos (pioglitazone), the only other TZD.

Avandia Side Effects

Studies have shown that Avandia side effects include potentially fatal heart damage and heart failure. A 2007 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found Avandia users had 43% more heart attacks than those taking placebos. In response to concerns about cardiac risks, the FDA asked GlaxoSmithKline to perform a cardiovascular safety trial, called TIDE Trial, to compare Avandia to other diabetes treatments such as ACTOS (piolglitazone). In August 2010, the FDA stopped the TIDE Trail because of the cardiac risks to study participants.

The FDA estimates that Avandia caused approximately 83,000 heart attacks between 1999 and 2007. In early 2010, a Senate report on Avandia side effects found that GlaxoSmithKline was aware of the possible cardiac risks associated with this drug years before such evidence became public.

Do I have an Avandia Side Effects Lawsuit?

Only an experienced lawyer can determine if you have a valid Avandia side effects lawsuit. The amount of your potential award depends on the merits of your particular case. As your Avandia lawyer, we will fight to recover the highest compensation amount possible for your heart attack, heart failure or other Avandia side effects. The law firm of Napoli Bern Ripka LLP represents people nationwide what have suffered injury from this drug. Fill out our contact form today for a free legal consultation with our lawyers to learn your legal rights.