Actos
Actos, also referred to by its generic name pioglitazone, is an oral medication that is used to treat type 2 diabetes. Actos belongs to the class of medications called thiazolidinediones; they work by lowering the insulin resistance in muscle and fat.
In July 1999, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Actos for the market. Since its launch in 1999, Actos has made over $16 billion in sales. More than 10 million people worldwide have been prescribed this popular diabetes medication.
While the drug may be popular across the globe, it has been linked to adverse side effects such as bladder cancer, heart attacks, strokes and bone fractures.
If you or a loved one has experienced an adverse side effect after taking Actos, you may have grounds for legal action. Contact the Actos injury attorneys at the Arguello Law Firm today.
For additional information about Actos lawsuits, complete the contact form.
Actos Linked to Bladder Cancer
Many Actos users have been diagnosed with bladder cancer after taking the drug. Recent research suggests that there may be a link between Actos and bladder cancer. After reviewing five years’ worth of data, the FDA informed the public that people who use Actos for more than a year are 40 percent more likely to develop bladder cancer.
Results from a similar study that was conducted France suggests an increased risk for bladder cancer with pioglitazone use. After the study, France suspended the use of pioglitazone and Germany has recommended not to start new patients with pioglitazone.
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, the manufacturers of Actos failed to adequately warn the public about the drug’s risk. The FDA added a warning to Actos’s label informing patients about the link to bladder cancer.
If you have been diagnosed with bladder cancer after using Actos, contact our Actos injury attorneys today.
Actos Cardiovascular Side Effects
When Actos was first introduced to the market it was believed to be a safer alternative than Avandia (rosiglitazone); however, studies have suggested that both drugs carry increased health risks including cardiovascular side effects such as congestive heart failure, heart attacks and stroke.
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company conducted clinical studies that suggested a link to Actos use and heart failure. Studies have shown that 1 in 50 patients that took Actos for over two years were hospitalized with some type of heart failure.
In 2007, the FDA placed the black box warning on Actos, which is the FDA’s strongest warning. The warning on the medication’s label warns consumers that the drugs are linked to an increase in heart failure.
More than 200,000 Medicare patients participated in a study that showed Avandia’s increase risk of heart attack, cardiovascular disease, stroke and death by 30-to-40 percent versus an older diabetes medication. The study claimed that the risk was not seen with Actos.
However, another study that was conducted analyzed nearly 29,000 patient records of those who took either Avandia or Actos from 2001 to 2005. After adjusting data for age, gender and prior heart conditions, Actos had more cases of heart attacks than Avandia did.
If you’ve experienced any cardiovascular side effects after using Actos, fill out the contact form on this page.
Actos Linked to Increase Risk of Bone Fractures
Another adverse side effect of Actos is bone fractures. Studies have tied Actos use to broken bones. One particular study suggests an increased risk fractures in postmenopausal women with Type 2 diabetes, as well as men who were also prescribed Actos with a loop diuretic. Results from the study suggest that an individual’s fracture risk increases the longer the person is on the medication. It was noted that these were not the typical fractures seen in patients suffering from osteoporosis such as spine and hip fracture; the people in the study were suffering from arm, leg, and lower limb fractures.
Filing an Actos Lawsuit
Since Actos has been released to the U.S. market, patients have been experiencing serious side effects from the drug. If you or a loved one has suffered from bladder cancer, heart failure, stroke or bone fractures after taking Actos, you may be entitled to compensation.
At the Arguello Law Firm, we believe that pharmaceutical companies should be held responsible for the harm that their products cause, especially if they failed to warn the public about a product’s risks. Our attorneys have the knowledge and resources to successfully handle dangerous drug cases.
To find out if you’re eligible to file an Actos lawsuit, fill out the contact form on this page.