A widely prescribed drug to treat type 2 diabetes increases users’ risk for heart attack, according to study findings released this week.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reacted to the report with a safety alert for the drug Avandia. It said, however, that more analysis was needed before it would make a decision about the drug from a regulatory standpoint. The generic name for the drug is rosiglitazone.
Researchers found those taking the drug increased their risk of heart attack by 43%. Also, there was a 64% increased risk of dying from cardiovascular causes, compared with patients not taking the drug. Findings will appear in the June 14 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. More than two million people worldwide take Avandia for type 2 diabetes.
