Onglyza adverse effects can include an increased risk of heart failure.

Approved by the FDA in 2009 to help control high blood sugar in type-2 diabetics, the popular drug from Astra Zeneca quickly earned a reputation as not only being effective, but also not causing weight gain, unlike other glycemic medicines. Onglyza (saxagliptin) is not approved to treat patients with type-1 diabetes or those with diabetic ketoacidosis.

The FDA announced a new safety communication regarding Onglyza adverse effects and the increased risk of heart failure in February 2014.

The FDA Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee meeting in April 2015 discussed two large clinical trials of patients experiencing heart disease. Both trials proved more patients who received Onglyza were hospitalized for heart failure compared with a control group who received an inert drug called a placebo. The numbers translate to 35 out of every 1,000 patients compared with 28 of every 1,000 patients.

Patients with impaired kidney function were more apt to experience heart failure. The study led to the FDA adding new Warnings and Precautions regarding the increased risk of heart failure to the list of potential Onglyza adverse effects.

A 2013 study found that patients who took Onglyza had an increased risk for heart failure. That study was originally designed with the hope that Onglyza provided some heart benefits.

When the heart pumps blood at an abnormally slow rate, it is known as heart failure, causing the body to become deficient in oxygen and nutrients. Over time, fluid retention leads to congestive heart failure.

Dr. Anthony DeMaria, editor in chief of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, said in a Reuters interview that Onglyza should be avoided by patients at risk for heart failure.

Onglyza’s website instructs patients who have had pancreatitis, gallstones, a history of alcoholism, or high triglyceride levels to talk to their doctors before starting the medication.

Symptoms of Onglyza Adverse Effects on the Heart

Heart failure symptoms can appear gradually. Be aware of the following signs of heart failure as a possible Onglyza side effect:

• Marked shortness of breath during daily activities
• Breathing problems upon lying down
• Tiredness, weakness, or extreme fatigue
• Gaining weight and swelling of the ankles, feet, legs or stomach
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Nagging cough or wheezing with white or pink blood-colored phlegm
• Increased need to urinate in the night
• Lack of appetite, nausea
• Reduced ability to exercise

The FDA recommends that patients experiencing symptoms of heart failure talk to their health care professional prior to stopping any prescribed medication.

Other Onglyza adverse effects can include joint pain and a severe skin reaction called bullous pemphigoid.  In the latter condition, the skin develops large, fluid-filled blisters on areas of the skin that flex often with movement, such as the lower abdomen, upper thighs and armpits.

If you have suffered Onglyza adverse effects, you could be eligible for compensation through legal representation.