Results of a 2013 Onglyza heart failure study suggest that the diabetes medication may be associated with high rates of congestive heart failure, heart failure, and cardiac failure.

Onglyza (saxagliptin) is a medication used to treat type-2 diabetes by lowering blood glucose levels. The drug is intended to be used in conjunction with diet and exercise to manage the condition. The diabetes drug was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2009.

Onglyza is part of the drug class of incretin mimetics. Drugs in this class work to lower blood glucose levels by triggering the creation and secretion of insulin. Incretin mimetics are a newer class of drug which gained popularity in response to another type-2 diabetes medication, Avandia, being pulled from the market due to an increased risk of heart failure. Although incretin mimetics such as Onglyza were designed as a safer alternative to Avandia, the recent Onglyza heart failure study shows that patients taking may be at risk for cardiac side effects.

Onglyza Heart Failure Study

The Onglyza heart failure study, dubbed the SAVOR study, was funded by Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca in an attempt to help consumers choose the best medication for their needs. The study evaluated 16,492 type-2 diabetes patients on various medications, including Onglyza. The goal of the study was to see if certain medications worked better for different groups of patients, but the results proved far more significant.

In 2013, the results of the study were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The results from the study were shocking — showing that patients on Onglyza were far more likely suffer from heart failure necessitating hospitalization. In April 2015, after reviewing the results of the Onglyza heart failure study, an FDA advisory committee urged the regulatory agency to require information about heart failure risks to be included in Onglyza information and labeling.

Patients experience heart failure suffer from weakened heart muscles cannot sufficiently pump blood throughout the body. Conditions such as high blood pressure and coronary artery disease are typically the cause of heart failure as they can weaken the heart muscles. Patients suffering from heart failure often experience shortness of breath, swollen legs, and a rapid heartbeat. These individuals are often forced to undergo significant lifestyle changes to manage the condition.

Although the Onglyza heart failure study only showed the link between the medication and the condition, and did not prove causation, some consumers have filed lawsuits over the issue. These consumers claim that the drug manufacturers had a duty to warn their consumers of the risks discovered in the Onglyza heart failure study.

If you or a loved one now suffers from heart failure, congestive heart failure, or cardiac failure after taking Onglyza, you may qualify to take legal action against the drug’s manufacturers for allegedly not warning their patients of the results of the Onglyza heart failure study. An Onglyza lawsuit could help recover compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of income, wrongful death, and other damages caused by the medication.