Issues Surrounding Actos Medication
Actos (pioglitazone hydrochloride) is a prescription drug used in the treatment of ‘Type 2’ Diabetes and was approved for use some thirteen years ago. Although adverse health issues were reported as a result of the use of Actos through the years, the drug remains on the market after having been withdrawn in Germany and France. In addition to an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events including heart attack and heart failure, Actos has been linked to liver problems, macular edema and to an increased risk of bladder cancer. In fact, some studies have shown that there is as much as a forty percent increase in bladder cancer occurrence in Actos patients and that the longer the patient takes the drug, the higher his or her risk.
In August of 2011, a report by eHealthMed was released based on Actos user reports to the FDA. This report found that 0.22% of those involved in the study who had reported side effects had developed bladder cancer. Yet another report showed that in a study of half a million Actos patients, there existed a corresponding risk of bladder cancer. The FDA ordered a safety review of Actos in September of 2010, and continues to review the results of a continuing study which is meant to determine the risk of bladder cancer among Actos users who have been taking the drug for longer than a year and in dosages higher than 28,000 mg. Thus far, compared with patients who have never taken Actos, those taking it longer than a year have a forty percent higher risk of bladder cancer. As of June, 2011, the FDA mandated changes to the Actos drug labels which will warn patients and physicians of the higher-than-normal bladder cancer risk, particularly for patients taking the drug longer than a year.
Potential Side Effects of Actos
In addition to the serious potential side effects of Actos (bladder cancer, adverse cardiovascular events), Actos users have reported an increase in:
· Bone fractures
· Weight gain
· Fluid retention
· Swelling
· Upper respiratory infection
· Chronic headaches
· Shortness of breath and chest pains
· Muscle aches and pains
· Unusual tooth pain and dental problems
· Sore throat
· Allergic reactions
· Fever, chills and fatigue
· Low blood sugar or hypoglycemia
· A general feeling of illness
When the Side Effects of Actos Have Changed Your Life
If you are an Actos user who has experienced serious side effects, your entire life may have been negatively impacted. While bladder cancer is treatable, it has a very high rate of recurrence—as high as 40-50%. Perhaps you, like many Actos patients, have suffered adverse cardiovascular events after taking Actos; while early studies which compared Actos to Avandia found Actos to be significantly safer, updated studies indicate that Actos may present an equal risk of heart attack as Avandia. In fact, in a study reported in 2010 by HealthCore Inc., comparing heart attack risk between Avandia and Actos medication users, approximately 4% in each group experienced a heart attack, heart failure or death. Cardiovascular problems or the development of bladder cancer can alter your life forever; therefore it’s important that you be aware of the controversy surrounding the drug.