Actos Macular Edema Injury Lawsuits. If you took Actos and developed diabetic macular edema, the type 2 diabetes drug could be to blame. Diabetic macular edema is an Actos side effect that can develop following cataract surgery, though the condition can develop in the absence of such surgery. In the Summer of 2012, a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that type 2 diabetics who use thiazolidinediones, a group of drugs that includes Actos, had a two to three times higher risk of developing macular edema compared to people using other medications.
If you or a loved one developed Actos macular edema, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your injuries. The Actos lawyers at Parker Waichman are offering free Actos macular edema lawsuit evaluations to victims of this Actos side effect. If you would like to discuss filing an Actos macular edema lawsuit with one of the Actos lawyers at
Parker Waichman, please contact us today.
What is the Relationship Between Actos and Diabetic Macular Edema?
In June 2012, a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine reported that patients taking Actos and other thiazolidinediones were two to three times more likely to develop macular edema compared to diabetics using other therapies to control their blood sugar. While several small studies and case reports have pointed to an association between drugs like Actos and the eye disease, the Archives of Internal Medicine study was the largest to ever investigate a possible connection.
For the study, researchers in the U.K. followed more than 100,000 people with type 2 diabetes included in the
British Health Improvement Network database for a decade. None of the subjects suffered from diabetic macular edema at the start of the study. After one year, 1.3 percent of patients taking thiazolidinedione developed diabetic macular edema, compared with
0.2 percent of those not taking these drugs. The association was seen whether patients were taking Actos or Avandia.
What is Actos Diabetic Macular Edema?
Diabetic macular edema is a complication of diabetes caused by fluid accumulation in the macula, or central portion of the eye. When the macula begins to fill with fluid, the ability of nerve cells to sense light is impaired, causing severe blurry vision. Diabetic macular edema affects up to 30% of people who have had diabetes for 20 years or more, and if untreated,
20 to 30% of people who have it will experience moderate visual loss.
Risk factors for diabetic macular edema include:
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Taking Actos or other thiazolidinediones
- Recent cataract surgery
Diabetics usually have their eyes checked regularly due to the risk of developing diabetic macular edema.
Actos patients should be sure to inform their doctors if they suffer any signs or symptoms of macular edema, including:
- Blurred vision
- Double vision
- Eye floaters
Diabetic macular edema is usually treated with lasers, to either close leaking blood vessels, or to narrow dilated blood vessels. The goal of treatment is to maintain current vision quality, and reduce future vision loss.
Need Legal Help Regarding Actos Macular Edema?
The personal injury attorneys at Parker Waichman LLP offer free, no-obligation case evaluations. For more information, fill out our online contact form or call 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).
Our lawyers for Actos litigation are here to help you when you need it the most.
