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Avandia vs. Actos: A Doctor's Advice

Avandia linked to 42% greater risk of heart attack

By Henry J. Fishman, M.D.
ConsumerAffairs.com

September 13, 2007

Diabetes • Studies Find Link Between Diabetes and Alzheimer's • Avandia Maker Failed To Report Required Data • Prediabetes: What You Should Know • Study: Large-Breasted Women More Diabetes-Prone • U.S. Diet Dishes Up Diabetes • Weight-Loss Surgery Seen Beneficial to Diabetics • Lack of Deep Sleep May Increase Diabetes Risk • Study: Avandia May Do More Harm than Good • FDA Orders New Warning For Avandia • U.S. Kidney Disease on the Rise • Fish Oil May Fight Diabetes • Avandia vs. Actos: A Doctor's Advice • Avandia Linked to 42% Greater Risk of Heart Attack • Soft Drink Sweetener Linked to Diabetes in Kids • Diabetes Drugs to Get 'Black Box' Warnings • FDA Rejects Advice to Pull Avandia From Market • FDA Advised to Pull Avandia From Market • Avandia, Other Diabetes Drugs Increase Risk of Heart Failure • Dairy Products May Protect Against Metabolic Syndrome • Portion-Control Dishes May Help Obese Diabetics • FDA Issues Safety Alert on Diabetes Drug Avandia • Stem Cell Treatment May "Cure" Diabetes • Diabetes Risk May Be In The Genes • Holiday Gluttony Can Spell Disaster for Undiagnosed Diabetics • Malaria Drug May Fight Common Cause of Diabetes, Heart Disease • Feds Attack Fake Diabetes Cures • FDA Approves New Treatment for Diabetes • Feds Warn Of Counterfeit Diabetes Tests • Study: Weightlifting Helps Overweight Teens Avoid Diabetes • Researchers Say They Can Reverse Type 1 Diabetes • Study: Obesity Major Factor in Diabetes Epidemic • Too Much, Too Little Sleep Linked To Diabetes In Men • Procedure Cures Some Diabetic Mice • Ethnicity Skews Diabetes' Effect on Heart • Pig Cells May Be Useful in Diabetes Treatment • Protein Triggers Fat-Saturated Cell Death • FDA Approves Diabetes Inhaler Exubera • FDA Panel Greenlights Diabetes Inhaler • Breastfeeding May Decrease Diabetes Risk • Low-Fat Dairy Products May Lower Diabetes Risk in Men • Scientists Find Diabetes "Switch" • New Diabetes Treatment Approved • Knowledge of Diabetes Doesn't Always Affect Outcomes • Moderate Exercise Helpful to Diabetes-Prone Women • Life Expectancy Increases; Diabetes Epidemic Worsens

Diabetes patients were alarmed and confused to hear this week's reports about heightened heart attack risks from the popular drug Avandia.

There's really no need for confusion, though there may be need for concern. Here's a simple summary of what happened:

Doctors took a long look at how two drugs used by Type II diabetics affect the heart, and published their results in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

They gave a thumbs up to Actos, and thumbs down to Avandia.

According to studies involving some 19,000 people, Actos can cut the rate of heart attacks, stroke, and even death from heart disease by nearly 20%, though it may cause a slight increase in the rate of heart failure.

Avandia, on the other hand, in four studies of 14,000 people, increased the rate of heart attacks, strokes and heart failure by a whopping 42%. Thankfully the rate of cardiac deaths did not change

And so, if you are on medicines for Type II diabetes, talk to your doctor. Tell him or her you want to make sure the benefits of your medicine outweigh its risks, including the risk of heart trouble.

Public health officials will be deciding whether or not to take Avandia off the market. Until then, you need to decide -- in consultation with your physician -- whether you want to keep taking it or switch to something else.

If you are taking Avandia, don't just stop taking it. Talk to your doctor first and make an informed decision about which course of treatment is best for you. Statistics are scary but we are all different and you shouldn't make what could be a life-or-death decision based on news stories.

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