Onglyza May Be Linked to Heart Failure, FDA Warns
Onglyza (saxagliptin) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2009. The medication rapidly became a highly popular type 2 diabetes medication because it effectively controls blood sugar and does not cause weight gain like other medications of a similar type. But, it wasn’t long before these common side effects were linked to the drug, including the following:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sore throat
- Urinary tract infection
- Swelling and fluid retention
- Headaches
- Nasal congestion or runny nose
- Low blood sugar
- Upper respiratory tract infections
But more serious and dangerous side effects were soon to surface. These side effects include pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, and heart failure. It was this last potentially fatal side effect that prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue a warning about heart failure risks tied to Onglyza use in 2014.
And the elevated risk for heart failure from taking Onglyza is not a trivial one. Recent studies have shown that patients taking Onglyza had a 27 percent increase in risk of being hospitalized for heart failure than a control group. That is truly a significant risk increase. It is urged that patients taking Onglyza contact their prescribing physician immediately if they have any of the following symptoms:
- Swelling in the hands, feet, or ankles
- Difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Irregular heartbeat
- Persistent coughing and wheezing
It is important that you don’t immediately stop taking Onglyza when you experience these symptoms, but it is more important that you contact your doctor right away.
If you have suffered heart failure or any other side effect while being treated with Onglyza, you have every right to file a personal injury claim against the drug’s manufacturer, AstraZeneca. To find out more about your legal rights and options, it’s vital that you consult a dedicated pharmaceutical litigation attorney. The law offices of Farah & Farah have been fighting for the rights of injured people for over 35 years. Call us today at (800) 533-3555 for a free consultation.
