Parker, Waichman, Alonso LLP

Home » Topics » Defective Drugs » Actos

Injured by Actos?

Actos is a newer class of diabetes drugs called thiazolidinediones or glitazones, which increase the body's sensitivity to insulin. The FDA (Food & Drug Administration) approved Actos on July 15, 1999. Actos is manufactured by Takeda Chemical Industries.

The first approved drug in the class, Rezulin, was taken off the market in 2000 after it was linked to dozens of cases of fatal liver disease. Avandia is another drug that is a thiazolidinediones or glitazones.

The American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association issued recommendations to guide the use of Actos, a glucose-lowering drugs and other as thiazolidinediones (TZDs). Diabetics who have mild heart disease or any problems with their kidneys may be at an increased risk of developing congestive heart failure if they take certain diabetes medications, according to a new study.

The study, published in the September 9, 2003 issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, reported on six cases of congestive heart failure in people taking pioglitazone (Actos) or rosiglitazone (Avandia) to help control their diabetes. The researchers studied the records of six men, between the ages of 66 and 78 years, with type 2 diabetes who had gone to the emergency room at Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center emergency room.

All six patients complained of shortness of breath, swelling of their feet, and weight gain, which are symptoms of congestive heart failure and pulmonary edema (fluid buildup in the lungs). Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart can no longer pump enough blood to maintain adequate circulation. Because the heart doesn't pump properly, fluid often builds up in the lungs.

Four of the six people in this study had chronic renal insufficiency, which means that their kidneys weren't functioning normally. Only two had any previous signs of heart disease. Four of the six had high blood pressure. They had been on the diabetes medications for between one month and 16 months. Three people developed symptoms within one to three months after the dose of their diabetes drug had been increased.

If you or a loved one took Actos and suffered side effects, please fill out the form at the right for a free case evaluation by a qualified drug side effects attorney.