Diabetes Drug Avandia Linked to Heart Attack and Death

May 2007

If you are one of over 6 million people worldwide who take the GlaxoSmithKline diabetes drug Avandia, you may be putting yourself at a greater risk for a heart attack or even worse, death. Results of over a dozen studies have shown a 43 percent greater risk of heart attack and a 64 percent greater risk of heart-related death in those who have taken the drug.

Avandia is used to treat type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity. The disease occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or when the cells ignore the amount of insulin the body does produce.

Several experts have compared the government’s handling of Avandia to Vioxx, saying they failed to detect an issue until millions of people had already taken the drug. The Food and Drug Administration has issued a safety alert notifying patients and physicians of the possible heart dangers related to taking Avandia.