The FDA recently released an Onglyza heart failure warning for the type 2 diabetes drug.  Onglyza is marketed and manufactured by AstraZeneca, a globally known pharmaceutical company.

What is Onglyza?

Onglyza, generically known as saxagliptin, is a medication used to lower high blood sugar in patients who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.  Onglyza belongs to a class of diabetes drugs known as DPP-4 inhibitors.  These types of diabetes medications work by increasing the amount of incretin in the human body.

Incretin is an important hormone that naturally occurs in the body.  It is released in the intestines and helps to raise insulin levels when a person experiences high blood sugar.

Onglyza Heart Failure Warning

The FDA now requires AstraZeneca and other makers of DDP-4 inhibitors diabetes drugs to include warnings of increased risks of heart failure on their drug information sheet.  Both Onglyza and AstraZenec’s Kombiglyze XR will now be required to carry this warning.  Not all type 2 diabetes medications will require a heart failure warning.

Pharmaceutical companies like Merck, Eli Lilly & Co, and Boehringer Ingelheim, who produce type 2 diabetes medications that are not DDP-2 inhibitors may see an increase in profits due to this FDA decision.  These companies produce type 2 diabetes medications that are known as SGLT2.  Studies performed on these SGLT2 medications show that these medications actually lower the risk of a patient suffering from heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular heart failure.

The FDA released its Onglyza heart failure warning a year after receiving a recommendation by an FDA advisory committee.  The decision to issue the warning came after reviewing  several big studies that looked at the correlation between taking Onglyza and being hospitalized for heart failure.

According to one of the studies, 3.5% of patients taking saxagliptin were hospitalized due to heart failure compared to the 2.8% of people who were hospitalized for heart failure after taking a placebo medication.

Onglyza Heart Failure Lawsuits

Patients who were taking saxagliptin diabetes drugs and suffered heart failure may be able to bring a Onglyza lawsuit against the pharmaceutical manufacturers. Lawsuits like these may allege that the drug manufacturers violated consumer protection laws.

It may be alleged that the companies failed to warn consumers and the general public about dangerous side effects associated with using Onglyza.  Claims against Onglyza manufacturers may include negligence, breach of warranty, strict products liability, and fraud and misrepresentation.

Plaintiffs who are successful in brining a lawsuit may receive significant compensation for their past and future medical bills, related to Onglyza injuries, as well as for their pain and suffering.  In some cases, plaintiffs may chose to bring punitive damages against the company.  Punitive damages are awarded as a form of punishment against the defendant for their wrongful actions.

Before bringing an Onglyza heart failure lawsuit the plaintiffs should look at all the facts and circumstances of their individual case.  Diabetes drugs attorneys can help potential plaintiffs make an educated decision about whether or not bringing a lawsuit is right for them.