Dangers of Avandia for diabetes

Avandia, in addition to diet and exercise, improves blood sugar control in adults with type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes. Avandia can be used alone or in combination with a sulfonylurea or metformin, when diet, exercise, and one of these agents or diet, exercise, plus Avandia alone are not enough to control blood sugar.

Who should not take Avandia?

• Do not use Avandia for type I diabetes (juvenile diabetes) or diabetic ketoacidosis.
• If you have heart failure, fluid retention or active liver disease your doctor will evaluate you to decide if Avandia is right for you.

General Precautions to take when on Avandia:

• In drug testing, Avandia did not cause liver toxicity or an increase in liver enzymes. However, Avandia is in the same class of drugs as Rezulin, which has been associated with rare but serious liver injury, including liver failure leading to transplant or death.
• Because Avandia’s liver safety profile is not fully determined yet, your doctor will do blood tests that evaluate your liver before starting you on Avandia. These blood tests should be repeated every two months for the first year, then regularly after that.
• Call your doctor right away if you develop nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, a feeling of tiredness, or having no energy, loss of appetite, dark urine, or jaundice (yellow coloring of eyes and skin). These may be symptoms of liver problems.
• When taking Avandia with other oral diabetes medicines, there is a risk of your blood sugar becoming dangerously low. Ask your doctor abut symptoms of low blood sugar, conditions that make low blood sugar more likely, and what to do if you get it. Make sure to explain to family members.
• If you are a woman who has not reached menopause but have not had menstrual periods; you may become pregnant unless you use an effective method of birth control. Avandia, like other drugs in this class, may cause insulin resistant women to start ovulating again.
• Women should tell their doctor if they notice any changes in their monthly menstrual cycle.
• During periods of stress on the body, such as fever, trauma, infection, or surgery, your medication requirements may change; contact your doctor promptly.

Managing your diabetes should include diet control. Caloric restriction, weight loss as needed, and exercise are essential for the proper treatment of diabetes because they help improve insulin sensitivity and the effectiveness of drug therapy.

What side effects can you expect when taking Avandia? (This list is NOT a complete list of side effects reported with Avandia. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for a complete list of possible side effects and drug interactions..)

• Cough or cold
• Headache
• Inflammation of the sinuses
• Back pain
• Swelling or fluid retention

What is Avandia used for?

It is a Diabetes drug

Why was Avandia Recalled (or why should it) ?

The FDA recalled the drug Avandia in March 2000. On July 17, 2001, The FDA sent a warning letter, stating that Avandia has falsely denied serious risk of congestive heart failure, hepatitis, and liver failure occurring in Avandia users.

What Makes Avandia a dangerous Drug ( side effects):

• congestive heart failure
• hepatitis
• liver failure
• cardiac failure
• cardiac effects,
• hepatic risk

Common Misspelling or other names: avandea, avendia, avasnia, avindea

For more detailed information about Avandia, ask your doctor