Januvia, a popular type 2 diabetes drug, has been linked to many controversial and dangerous side effects in recent years. In the latest newsbreak, experts are taking a closer look into the risk of heart failure in patients taking Januvia. Our team of Januvia lawyers report on recent studies and reports linking the drug to life-threatening heart conditions.
An observational study on Januvia was recently published in the journal JACC Heart Failure. Medical researchers involved in the study analyzed insurance claims from more than 7,600 patients who suffered from both diabetes and heart failure. Researchers found that patients taking Januvia were much more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure than those not on the drug.
Fortunately, the study did not find that Januvia patients were more likely than non-users to pass away from cardiac events. This study adds to the growing body of evidence that Januvia and other drugs in its class (and perhaps even type 2 diabetes drugs overall) increase the risk of heart failure.
Januvia is part of a class of diabetes drugs known as DPP-4 inhibitors. Among the other drugs in this class include:
Janumet
Victoza
Byetta
Onglyza
Juvisync
Bydureon
Among many others (a full list of DPP-4 inhibitors can be found on our website, here). Onglyza was also recently investigated for heart failure risks. In February 2014, the FDA announced that it was requesting clinical trial data from Onglyza’s manufacturer. This investigation was launched in response to a study that found Onglyza patients had substantially high rates of hospitalization from heart failure.
Pancreatic Cancer Risks
Januvia, Onglyza and the like initially received national attention after the risk of pancreatic cancer became evident. Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, as it spreads incredibly rapidly and is extremely difficult to diagnose in its early stages.
Patients who suffered pancreatic cancer after taking these drugs are now filing lawsuits against drug manufacturers by the thousands. The issue at the center of this litigation is whether the drug makers knew about the risk of pancreatic injury and deaths before the drugs were put on market.
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It has been reported and confirmed that Januvia’s manufacturer, Merck, failed to conduct safety studies in patients with a history of pancreatic issues, even though it was a known risk factor. Merck’s failure to conduct safety studies for something as serious and fatal as pancreatic cancer is inexcusable, and why so many patients are choosing to file suit against the drugmaker.
One plaintiff was in her mid-70s when she died from pancreatic cancer. Although she had diabetes, she lived an otherwise healthy lifestyle for someone her age, and was prescribed Januvia in 2006 to help her manage her illness. Just over one year after starting on the drug, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She died within a month of diagnosis. Her daughter recently filed a lawsuit against Merck, claiming the company designed and misrepresented a defective drug, which directly caused her mother’s death.
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This is just one of thousands of similar stories surrounding drugs for type 2 diabetes and consequent illness. What is perhaps most frightening about this phenomenon is that researchers have, for all intents and purposes, no indication of why these drugs are causing heart failure and cancers in some patients and not others. The best medical researchers can do at this point is advise diabetic patients to use drugs with extreme caution, particularly if they have family histories of cancer and heart failure.
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Januvia attorneys at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm are currently investigating cases of severe injury and death from type 2 diabetes medication, including Actos. If you or someone you love was hospitalized or diagnosed with cancer after taking a drug for diabetes, contact our firm immediately. We have over 35 years of experiencing fighting Big Pharma on behalf of injured patients. Our case reviews are always free, confidential, and available in concerned individuals nationwide.
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