Onglyza Lawsuit Alleges Increased Risk of Heart Failure

Bristol Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals are facing a new Onglyza lawsuit, alleging the pharmaceutical companies failed to warn the claimant about potential heart failure.

This new Onglyza lawsuit was filed by a woman from North Carolina, who opted to file legal action after allegedly discovering other patients had suffered similar complications.

Plaintiff Bobbie Jean S. filed this Onglyza lawsuit after discovering other patients had allegedly developed heart failure, with many of them also opting to file legal action.

Like numerous other type-2 diabetes patients, Bobbie Jean had been prescribed Onglyza to help manage symptoms. Onglyza is part of the incretin mimetic drug family, which works by stimulating the pancreas to create more insulin.

Combined with diet and exercise, Onglyza is supposed to help patients maintain a healthy blood sugar level and live a normal life. With these benefits in mind, Bobbie Jean says she started using the medication on March 10, 2013, and had used for it type-2 diabetes treatment until May 7, 2016.

However, the Onglyza lawsuit alleges this prescription contributed to Bobbie Jean developing heart failure. According to the Onglyza lawsuit, Bobbie Jean was diagnosed with heart failure on Feb. 25, 2014 and has been contending with the long term effects ever since.

Bobbie Jean only recently learned that her Onglyza prescription may have contributed to her heart failure, which prompted her to file this Onglyza lawsuit.

Overview of Onglyza Heart Failure

Onglyza was approved by the FDA in July 2009, and has been a popular treatment choice for type-2 diabetes patients ever since. Type-2 diabetes develops when the body fails to respond to insulin the way it should, which can cause a multitude of problems.

The body may metabolize fat instead of sugar and cause a buildup of ketones or blood acids. When the blood becomes too acidic, it can cause serious damage to the kidneys that often result in kidney failure or diabetic ketoacidosis.

With Onglyza’s treatment mechanism specializing in insulin balance, this greatly reduces the chances of these complications for patients. However, Onglyza was recently linked to heart failure after a 2013 SAVOR study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Researchers observed 16,492 type-2 diabetes patients, with the study designed to help doctors evaluate different medications and determine which are the best choices for patients. The study found that Onglyza patients faced a slightly higher risk of heart failure compared to other type-2 diabetes.

While the results of the study were not statistically significant, it still concerned the medical community and further inquiries were conducted. In April 2015, an advisory committee for the FDA recommended adding mention of a risk of heart failure to the Onglyza warning label.

At all times relevant, Bobbie Jean had relied on the marketing statements and drug information provided by Bristol Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. Bobbie Jean states she would not have agreed to take the medication if she had known about the alleged linked to increased risk of heart failure.

This Onglyza lawsuit is joining MDL No. 2809 and is seeking a variety of damages including negligence and failure to warn.

This Onglyza Lawsuit is Case No. 5:18-cv-00598-KKC, in the U.S. District Court of Eastern Kentucky, Central Division, Lexington.