Avandia Causes Congestive Heart Failure

Avandia is the marketing name of the drug Rosiglitazone patented by the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline as a drug for the treatment of Type II diabetes. Avandia’s side effects are so severe that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that the drug be accompanied by a “black box” warning advising that Avandia may cause fluid retention which could result in congestive heart failure. The lesser severe, but nonetheless well known, side effects of Avandia include large weight gain in a short period of time, shortness of breath, swollen feet, lower legs, ankles, arms, or hands, dry cough, and fatigue. Studies have shown that Avandia causes a 43% increase in the risk of heart attack, a 27% increase in the risk of stroke, an increased risk of bone fractures in females, and an increase in macular edema which causes retinal damage and partial blindness.

Avandia’s side effects have lead to over 13,000 lawsuits against GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). GSK has reached settlement agreements in more than 10,000 of the lawsuits and has agreed to pay more than $500 million dollars in damages. Although Avandia has been withdrawn from the market in New Zealand and has been widely criticized in European countries a 2007 FDA Advisory Panel decided to leave Avandia on the American market.

With the FDA turning a blind eye to the dangers of Avandia users who have suffered complication have little choice but to turn to litigation. For more information about Avandia litigation contact a Tyler Defective Drugs Attorney today.

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