The Cochran Firm Legal Blog

The American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes published a study last month by WellPoint, Inc. demonstrating an increased risk of heart attack, heart failure, and death in diabetes patients taking either Avandia or Actos, two chemically similar diabetes drugs.

Results of Actos/Avandia Heart Disease Study

Though the FDA has not asked for a recall of Avandia since it was linked to heart problems in 2007, sales have never recovered to their former level because of patients' fears of heart attack and wrongful death. The WellPoint study has demonstrated that the heart problems linked to Avandia are clearly linked to Actos as well.

In this study, 602 Avandia patients and 599 Actos patients suffered either congestive heart failure, heart attack, or both. The deaths in each group were exactly equal in this study, 217 Avandia patients and 217 Actos patients died.

Actos Pharmaceutical Injury Lawsuits

Patients with heart disease or heart attacks who have taken Actos or Avandia may be eligible to begin litigation under product liability law or possibly even medical malpractice law.

The qualified pharmaceutical injury attorneys of The Cochran Firm are ready to explain your legal options. Remember, if you or a family member has endured a cardiac event after taking either Actos or Avandia, your time to begin a pharmaceutical injury lawsuit may be limited.

For a free evaluation of your pharmaceutical injury case, please contact the pharmaceutical injury attorneys of The Cochran Firm today.