While the diabetes drug saxagliptin is popular, there is a concerning connection between saxagliptin and heart failure, as well as other side effects. That concern continues to grow as more and more patients come forward with their own allegations of complications caused by the diabetes medication.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released a statement responding to the rising number of reports linking saxagliptin and heart failure, as well as other side effects. The FDA has asked that manufacturers update the warnings on saxagliptin drugs, including the brand name Onglyza, to accurately reflect the increased risk of certain complications associated the the drug.

Background of Saxagliptin

Saxagliptin (also sold under the popular brand name, Onglyza) is a widely used diabetes drug jointly developed by pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myeres Squibb. Saxagliptin is a relatively new kind of diabetes drug, and intended as treatment for type-2 diabetes.

Saxagliptin was approved by the FDA and entered the drug market in 2009. Since its release onto the market, Onglyza has steadily increased in sales, and is projected to reach $2 billion in annual sales in the near future.

Saxagliptin belongs to a class of diabetes drugs known as incretin mimetics which act to stimulate the release of insulin after a meal and help regulate a patient’s blood sugar level.

Despite the popularity of these new saxagliptin drugs, the side effects may actually pose a greater risk than benefit. Indeed, a growing link emerges in reports and lawsuits between saxagliptin and heart failure.

A study funded by the drug’s own manufacturers found that patients using saxagliptin were more likely to face hospitalization from heart failure than those who took other type-2 diabetes medications. The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2013.

Saxagliptin and Heart Failure

The link between saxagliptin and heart failure is a serious and potentially life-threatening concern. When a patient suffers from heart failure, the heart becomes so weak that it cannot adequately pump blood throughout the body. High blood pressure or coronary artery disease can eventually lead to heart failure by gradually weakening the heart.

Even if a patient survives saxagliptin heart failure, the lasting effects may force them to make significant changes to their daily life in order to prevent further life-threatening problems.

Other dangerous side effects associated with saxagliptin include pancreatic cancer and thyroid cancer. The FDA has received reports regarding these potential side effects which can be hard to detect, placing patients at risk of only being diagnosed in the later and more dangerous stages of the disease.

Filing a Lawsuit over Saxagliptin and Heart Failure

A growing number of diabetes patients are coming forward, alleging that the use of a saxagliptin drug directly led to dangerous side effects, including heart failure.

Some patients even choose to file lawsuits over saxagliptin side effects against the manufacturers, AstraZeneca and Bristol-Meyers Squibb, for failing to adequately warn and inform the medical community and consumers of the serious risks of their drug.

If you or someone you know has suffered from heart failure, cancer or other serious side effects after using saxagliptin, you may be able to take legal action. While filing a saxagliptin heart failure lawsuit may not fix the damage, it can help to alleviate the physical, emotional and financial losses felt as a result of using saxagliptin.