The FDA says Onglyza heart failure is a possibility, especially for those with heart or kidney disease.

Onglyza and Kombiglyze XR belong to a new class of type 2 diabetes drugs called incretin mimetics. Both prescription medicines contain saxagliptin, which stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin to help control blood sugar levels. Kombiglyze XR consists of an additional ingredient, metformin hydrochloride.

The FDA approved Onglyza in July 2009 and Kombiglyze XR in November 2010.

FDA Warns of Possible Onglyza Heart Failure

The FDA updated their communication regarding saxagliptin in February 2014. The FDA’s safety review noted that Onglyza and Kombiglyze XR could “increase the risk of heart failure, particularly in patients who already have heart or kidney disease. Heart failure can result in the heart not being able to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.”

Symptoms of heart failure include:

• Shortness of breath during daily activities
• Trouble breathing when lying down
• Tiredness, weakness, fatigue
• Weight gain with swelling of the ankles, feet, legs or stomach

The FDA looked at two large clinical trials and determined that 3.5 percent of patients who received saxagliptin were hospitalized for heart failure compared with 2.8 percent of those who received a placebo.

Lawyers examining the potential cases of Onglyza heart failure are determining whether to take legal action against the drug’s manufacturers, AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Patients who have suffered heart failure, cardiac failure, congestive heart failure or even death after taking the diabetes drug that was supposed to help them could be eligible for compensation through legal representation.

This is not the first time a diabetes medication has been linked to heart problems. Avandia was approved by the FDA in 1999, but was later recalled after alleged increases in the risk of cardiac death.

Onglyza Heart Failure Newest in Line of Problems

In addition to possible heart failure, Onglyza has been linked to abnormal cell production and pancreatitis.

The drug also increases the number and size of the cells that secrete insulin in the pancreas. These cells are called beta cells, and they either shrink or die in people with Type 2 diabetes, causing these patients to experience a reduction in insulin.

A 2013 study found the beta cells that Onglyza helped produce were abnormal. These beta cell abnormalities were only seen in patients who took drugs such as Onglyza.

In 2011, a link between patients taking Onglyza and pancreatitis was established. When the pancreas becomes inflamed, the condition is called pancreatitis, which often requires hospitalization because the condition is painful and can be deadly.

If you or a loved one has suffered Onglyza heart failure or other devastating Onglyza side effects, you could benefit from speaking with a lawyer regarding your options for seeking compensation.