Lipitor was designed to lower cholesterol levels, but has been linked to causing permanent type-2 diabetes, especially in women over 50. Maria and Jose Hidalgo filed a Lipitor lawsuit on Feb. 5, 2014, claiming that Maria’s injuries, “like those striking thousands of similarly situated victims across the country, were avoidable. Lipitor has been implicated in a national epidemic,” the couple notes.

While some people who are considered pre-diabetic or don’t have a severe case of type-2 diabetes may be able to control and manage the disease with diet and exercise, that isn’t always the case with Lipitor diabetes. Instead, many Lipitor victims claim that they’ve unknowingly swapped the potential of one chronic disease for another. Cholesterol is connected to heart disease, and Lipitor has been prescribed as a preventative measure for many women. Jose qualifies for this Lipitor lawsuit because, as Maria’s husband, when one person is hurt in a marriage the other is often naturally impacted, too.

The couple claims that even though the makers of Lipitor, Pfizer Inc., “knew of the risks for several years, medical providers were unaware that the use of Lipitor caused Type-2 diabetes in female patients. As a result, thousands of women taking Lipitor were unaware that the drug was effecting their blood sugar levels.”

Most alleged victims of Lipitor diabetes, like Maria, didn’t have any previous signs of diabetes, so they and their doctors didn’t monitor blood glucose levels when starting Lipitor.

“Even when (Pfizer) finally began disclosing some of this information, it refused to protect patients,” the Hidalgos claim in the Lipitor lawsuit. “For example, when (Pfizer) finally changed its label in February 2012, the warning it issued was extremely vague and in no direct terms did it warn that consumption of Lipitor could lead to development of type-2 diabetes.”

The Hidalgos say that if they were made aware of the Lipitor risks, Maria could have opted for a different cholesterol medication or monitored her blood sugar levels to catch the development of diabetes before it became too late. Like other diseases, catching it early is key.

Ironically, “adults with diabetes are also at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, thus Lipitor leads to the very disease it was designed to prevent,” the Lipitor lawsuit states.

However, diabetes is also linked to a number of other ailments, which Maria will now have to monitor and take action against for the rest of her life. She has to adhere to a strict diabetic diet and exercise regimen.

“The development of type-2 diabetes is preventable with the proper monitoring of blood sugar levels,” the Lipitor lawsuit says. “As such, the development of Type-2 diabetes in patients taking Lipitor was also preventable and resulted directly from (Pfizer’s) refusal to conduct proper safety studies; follow up alarming safety signals; suppression of information revealing life-threatening risks; wanton failure to provide adequate instructions; and willful misrepresentations concerning the nature and safety of its product.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first requested that Pfizer make changes to Lipitor in 2011. Although changes were indeed made in 2012, it’s noted that prior to these changes (which the Hidalgos claim are still insufficient), there was no mention of the link between diabetes and Lipitor on any labels or packaging. Furthermore, they say Pfizer continues to fail when it comes to warning the medical community and general public about the Lipitor dangers.

Years of Exposure

Now 58 years old, Maria was first prescribed Lipitor in 2008, years before the FDA stepped in to request changes of the label. When prescribing the drug, her doctor “relied on claims made by Pfizer that Lipitor was clinically proven to reduce her risk of developing heart disease,” which was a risk factor due to her high cholesterol levels. Maria reportedly developed type-2 diabetes three years after she began taking Lipitor.

In addition to a lifetime of lifestyle changes, she “has developed fatigue, worsening vision and kidney infections.” She’s also at an increased risk of blindness, as well as amputations (which are reportedly caused by diabetes more than any other factor in the U.S.). Neuropathy is another big risk factor for Maria, which is connected to diabetes.

The couple is suing Pfizer for negligence, strict tort liability, failure to warn, breach of warranties, negligent misrepresentation, fraud, violation of New Mexico’s Unfair Trade Practices Act, loss of consortium and punitive damages.

The Lipitor lawsuit is Maria Hidalgo, et al. v. Pfizer Inc., Case No. 2:14-cv-00097-GBW-WPL, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico.