Onglyza (saxagliptin) is a common drug used to treat diabetes and belongs to a class of drugs called incretin mimetics.

It works by altering the amount of insulin the pancreas secretes, leading to a normalization of blood sugar levels.

Onglyza has been on the market for six years and many physicians have seen a favorable response in their patients who have been prescribed the drug. Onglyza does not seem to create the rebound low blood sugar effect in patients that other diabetes drugs have, and appears to keep patients at a more stable blood sugar level.

As with any drug, Onglyza comes with a number of side effects. One of the most concerning and most known side effects is an increased risk of heart failure and related complications.

Onglyza, Heart Failure and Complications

The main cardiovascular risk associated with Onglyza is heart failure. Heart failure is not to be confused with a heart attack, even though heart attacks are caused by a failing of the heart.

Heart failure is a condition where the heart cannot pump enough blood to keep up with the body’s demands, and the heart is too weak to pump sufficient blood to keep the body functioning optimally. Heart failure can also lead to a number of complications if it is not properly managed. Such complications include:

Impaired Kidney Function: Heart failure can lead to impaired kidney function, and when the kidneys cannot remove waste as efficiently, the body has to deal with an increased toxic burden. Kidney failure can also lead to fluid build-up which can in turn affect other bodily processes.

Edema/Congestion: Heart failure can also lead to edema, or fluid build-up in various parts of the body. This can affect various systems of the body when the body begins to swell. Edema can occur in the lungs (pulmonary edema) and can lead to shortness of breath and issues with being unable to sleep well at night due to coughing and possibly waking up with a sensation of drowning and feeling unable to breathe.

Thromboembolism: Blood clots, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and stroke can occur as a complication of heart failure.

Arrhythmias/Irregular Heartbeat: Various types of arrhythmias can occur including atrial fibrillation, left bundle branch block, ventricular tachycardia and ventricle fibrillation are all potential complications, and these conditions can lead to an increased risk of stroke or heart attack.

Safety of Onglyza

A large research study known as the SAVOR looked at the frequency of cardiovascular events in about 16,000 patients. The outcome of the study showed that in particular, patients who were taking Onglyza had an increased risk of hospitalization due to heart failure. Those not taking the drug did not have an increased risk

Earlier this year, the FDA used information highlighted from the SAVOR study outcomes to consider safety issues for Onglyza. The FDA decided that the drug label for Onglyza needed to be updated to include information on the increased risk of heart failure, but the agency did not require any additional restrictions on its use nor did it remove the drug from the market.

Onglyza Lawsuit Information

If you or a loved on has experienced heart failure, heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular events that you feel was related to the use of Onglyza, you may have a legal claim.