There are a number of potential causes of heart failure to look out for when considering your health.

Some causes of heart failure are health conditions that increase heart failure risk, such as coronary artery disease high blood pressure, and heart muscle disease, among others.

However, lesser known causes of heart failure can even be certain medications. One such medication is Onglyza, a popular type 2 diabetes drug.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in 2016 that it would look into the risk of Onglyza, along with other saxagliptin drugs, as one of these potential causes of heart failure.

The announcement came after the publication of a now well-known saxagliptin trial known as SAVOR. The SAVOR trial involved more than 16,000 patients and found that significantly more patients who were treated with saxagliptin drugs ended up being hospitalized for heart failure.

Because of the SAVOR trial’s findings, the FDA is investigating further into the potential risks of saxagliptin drugs like Onglyza. In the meantime, the FDA has required the drug’s manufacturers to update its warning label with these risks.

Background of Onglyza

Onglyza (also known by its generic name, saxagliptin) is manufactured by pharmaceutical giants AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb. It was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2009 as a treatment for type 2 diabetes.

Onglyza belongs to a class of drugs known as incretin mimetics, a kind of diabetes drug stimulates insulin release, helping to regulate blood sugar level.

While many patients have chosen Onglyza because it is advertised as not encouraging weight gain, several side effects of Onglyza may be much more severe—and may even be life-threatening.

Onglyza Heart Failure Risk

Heart failure is a serious and potentially life-threatening medical condition in which the heart becomes so weak that it cannot adequately pump blood throughout the body. High blood pressure or coronary artery disease can eventually lead to heart failure by gradually weakening the heart.

Even if a patient survives heart failure, they are typically forced to make significant changes to their daily life. These kinds of permanent changes may include improving their diet, reducing their level of salt intake, exercising, losing weight, and/or managing stress more effectively. All of these things can reduce the risk of further complications.

Onglyza manufacturers were warned by the FDA in April 2015 to include an increased risk of heart failure to their warning labels. FDA policy is that drugs do not and should not require definitive links before adding warnings to their labels of potential risks. Companies add warning labels when there is enough evidence to suggest a connection and cause concern.

Filing an Onglyza Lawsuit

A growing number of diabetes patients are filing lawsuits alleging that the drug’s manufacturers, AstraZeneca and Bristol-Meyers Squibb, failed to adequately warn and inform the medical community and consumers of potential heightened risk factors of their drug.

If you or someone you love has suffered from heart failure or other serious side effects of Onglyza, you may be able to take legal action.

Filing an Onglyza lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by Onglyza side effects, or bring a loved one back to life, but it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.