Avandia and Actos Share Comparable Risks
An FDA advisory committee recently suggested that the labeling for the diabetes drug Avandia be changed to reflect concern about the increased risk of heart disease associated with the medication. A recently released study compares the increased risk of heart disease for patients using Avandia and Actos, another diabetes medication.
The results indicated that the risk of heart attack, heart disease, and/or death were the same for both medications. The increased risk was marked at 4% for both prescriptions. The study involved reviewing the medical and death records of over 36,000 patients. The average patient age was 54, and each had been taking either Avandia or Actos for at least 14 months.
The authors of the study noted that the main goal was to determine whether or not a variation of risk occurs between patients taking these medications. Based on their review, the cardiovascular risks for patients taking Avandia and Actos are comparable.