Actos
Actos® may be linked to bladder cancer and possibly other injuries
Actos Linked To Serious Health Issues
You, or someone a loved one, may have used Actos – also known as pioglitazone – to treat Type 2 diabetes. However, there are a number of serious Actos side effects that have been observed in some patients, particularly in those with preexisting heart conditions or kidney problems.
Actos is a prescription medication that is used to improve blood sugar levels by increasing the body’s sensitivity to insulin in patients who have been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. By helping the body better utilize the insulin it already has, and also preventing the liver from producing excess sugar, the medication is designed to prevent sugar from building up in the bloodstream.
Actos Side Effects
One of the more serious Actos side effects that some users have experienced has been an increased risk of developing bladder cancer. Following a five-year analysis of the drug by its manufacturer, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, The Food and Drug Administration recently announced a warning that users who have taken high amounts of the drug for longer periods of time had a higher risk of developing Actos side effects that eventually led to a bladder cancer diagnosis.
Many Actos users have also faced problems related to cardiovascular side effects. Some of the known issues include:
- Heart Attack
- Stroke
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Vision Loss
Cardiovascular system issues such as heart failure have also been documented as a risk in some Actos users, especially among those who have had a higher risk of heart troubles in the past.
What is Actos?
Oral diabetes medication Actos® (generic name pioglitazone) is made by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company and co-marketed in the United States by Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals. Actos® and related drugs are used to control type-2 diabetes in patients whose condition is not adequately controlled by diet and exercise alone.
Actos® belongs to a class of drugs called Thiazolidinedione drugs, which help to treat Type-2 diabetes by lowering blood glucose levels and increasing the body’s sensitivity to insulin. This drug may be prescribed alone (as Actos®) or in combination with other active ingredients such as metformin (sold as Actoplus met) or glimepiride (sold as duetact). A patient’s drug regiment may also include insulin or other medications in addition to those containing pioglitazone.
Type-2 diabetes, which affects approximately 18 to 20 million Americans, is characterized by high blood glucose levels caused by the body’s inability to properly use insulin. This disease, left untreated, can lead to blindness, kidney problems, and cardiovascular disease.
The FDA and Actos
Amidst an intense debate over the safety of Type-2 diabetes drugs, the FDA has asked the makers of Actos® to issue a black box warning. A black box warning is the strongest FDA-requested label change that can be added to a drug.
The FDA is currently analyzing Actos® clinical data to determine whether further regulatory action, such as an Actos® recall, is warranted.
Actos Lawsuit
If you’ve taken any type of Actos medications for your Type 2 diabetes and have experienced any of these Actos side effects as a result, you may want to consider an Actos lawsuit. Contact an Actos lawyer at Henry Spiegel Milling LLP today for a free legal consultation to learn more about your situation and see if you may be able to pursue an Actos lawsuit.
