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.
