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Avandia (rosiglitazone) is a medication used by thousands of people with diabetes to help control blood sugar. However, mounting evidence has linked Avandia to a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and death. It also increases LDL (aka ‘bad cholesterol’). This is ironic since one of the main purposes of controlling blood sugar in people with diabetes is to avoid long term complications such as heart attack and stroke.
Despite the frightening risks mentioned above, the manufacturers of Avandia have failed to issue a recall of the drug. The FDA has not had the authority to recall medications either. Up until now, the FDA has only been able to issue alerts, make recommendations and require manufacturers to include warnings with their medications. However, recently the Drug Safety and Accountability Act of 2010 has been introduced in the Senate. If approved, this act would allow the FDA to recall medications they deem as unsafe. Still it is unclear if the FDA would recall Avandia if the measure passes. The FDA recently reviewed safety data for Avandia in July 2010 and recommended that Avandia stay on the market but that it carry a warning about its cardiovascular risk.
If you are taking Avandia, it is important not to stop the medication without first talking to your doctor. It is important that you and your doctor find a suitable substitute for the medication first so blood sugar can be controlled. Metformin is usually the first medication tried to control blood sugar. There are other medication options for people who can’t take metformin or if metformin does not work.
Author: Christi Larson, Pharm. D.
Dr. Larson is a pharmacist, author of Empowered Medicine; A Guide for Consumers and creator of Empowered Medicine. You can read more about her by visiting www.EmpoweredMedicine.com and clicking on the 'About Us' tab. EmpoweredMedicine.com is committed to providing evidence-based medical information from a pharmacist's point of view.
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