Actemra heart problems have been recently reported around the country, with the risk highlighted in recent studies.

These Actemra heart problems have become a major concern in the medical community, as this rheumatoid arthritis treatment medication is prescribed to thousands of patients every year.

Approximately one percent of Americans have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and 760,000 of them treat it with Actemra prescriptions. This means hundreds of thousands of patients may be at risk for potential Actemra heart problems.

One of the most recent inquiries observing the risk of Actemra heart problems was published on ehealthme, which consisted of 15,836 patients prescribed Actemra. The risk of Actemra heart failure was especially prevalent in women over 60 years old, even when taking the drug for less than one month.

These Actemra injury reports were submitted to the FDA. The results were consolidated on July 22, 2017, with researchers finding that 70 (0.44%) patients had reportedly developed Actemra heart problems.

Another study highlighting Actemra heart problems was released in 2016 by the American College of Rheumatology, which compared the drug with another rheumatoid arthritis treatment drug Enbrel. This study found that Actemra had increased the risk of heart attacks by 1.5x, when compared to taking Enbrel.

It is also important to note that Enbrel’s warning label mentioned potential heart disease, while there are no mention of cardiac complications on Actemra’s warning label.

Another report by STAT news analyzed 500,000 injury reports that were submitted bay patients who were prescribed rheumatoid arthritis medications. Approximately 13,000 of these injury reports were submitted by Actemra patients, with scientists noting the drug’s label lacked language describing potential cardiac complications and other life threatening conditions.

STAT also noted that the FDA has received over 1,000 Actemra injury reports indicating serious side effects and deaths.

Overview of Actemra Heart Problems

Actemra was approved by the FDA in 2010, and has since become a premiere choice in treating rheumatoid arthritis. This medication was initially considered unique among its fellow competitors, because it did not appear to present a similar risk of cardiac problems or respiratory complications.

The recent studies conducted suggest otherwise, placing manufacturer Roche Holding AG in hot water for allegedly not sufficiently describing the drug’s side effects and instead focusing its marketing efforts on promoting the drug’s purported lack of side effects.

The FDA has investigated Actemra several times for serious side effects in the past, with an August 2012 review finding 42 of 118 deaths allegedly caused by Actemra heart problems.

A different review had also found evidence of serious Actemra side effects, with 258 injury reports of Actemra pancreatitis and 185 reports of Actemra interstitial lung disease in clinical trials.

Overall, investigators state they have found “clear evidence that the risks of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and other conditions were as high or higher for Actemra patients than for patients taking some competing drugs.”

Patients who may have suffered Actemra heart problems may be able to file legal action for possible compensation. Potential claimants should contact a lawyer to determine eligibility.

In general, Actemra lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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