Class action investigators are reviewing injury claims describing side effects of Onglyza, a popular type-2 diabetes treatment medication. The side effects of Onglyza described in injury reports include cardiac failure and pancreatic cancer, which has resulted in hospitalization and massive medical bills for patients.

A recent study analyzing the side effects of Onglyza found an increased risk of heart failure and being hospitalized for potentially fatal cardiac events. Onglyza was approved by the FDA in July 2009 and is a part of the incretin mimetic drug family, which are designed to stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin.

This helps ensure proper blood sugar balance and prevents the occurrence of diabetic ketoacidosis, which occurs when insulin levels are too low and sugar levels are too high. Incretin mimetics are relatively new to the type-2 diabetes treatment medication family, which gained popularly after the release of Avandia.

However, Avandia was eventually recalled due to potential cardiac complications, which spurred concern in the medical community regarding the side effects of other type-2 diabetes treatment medications.

Even though this medication is supposed to improve the patient’s life and longevity, the side effects of Onglyza have been linked to heart failure and increased risk of hospitalization for cardiac events. Also included in the investigation is Kombiglyze XR, another type-2 diabetes drug in the same family which contains the same core ingredient as Onglyza, saxagliptin.

Both Onglyza and Kombiglyze XR are typically prescribed to treat type-2 diabetes symptoms and are designed to help control high blood sugar levels in adult patients. When used in conjunction with diet and exercise, these drugs are supposed to prevent severe diabetic symptoms and produce ideal insulin levels.

However, the recent study surrounding the side effects of Onglyza has spurred major concern from the medical community.

Overview of Onglyza Heart Failure

Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca funded the study in question which analyzed patients prescribed Onglyza and Kombiglyze XR. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2013, the SAVOR study analyzed 16,492 patients who were diagnosed with type-2 diabetes.

The study was conducted to help doctors evaluate the safety profiles of different type-2 diabetes treatment medications and help determine which medications are right for patients. Researchers found a higher likelihood of hospitalization of cardiac events in Onglyza patients, compared to other diabetes medications.

In addition to potentially fatal cardiac events, Onglyza has been linked to pancreatic problems allegedly due to the drug’s treatment mechanism. At this point in time, the FDA has advised physicians against prescribing Onglyza to patients with a history of heart failure or who may be at risk for heart failure.

Patients at risk for heart and kidney disease are at particularly high risk for these complications. Heart failure is a potentially fatal condition in which the organ becomes unable to pump blood through the body, and patients often need emergency medical treatment to avoid death.

Even though these side effects of Onglyza are potentially fatal for patients, Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca allegedly failed to warn patients against these problems.

Patients who may have suffered the side effects of Onglyza may be eligible to file a claim for compensatory damages for negligence and failure to warn.