Actos Side Effects: Are the Risks the Same as with Avandia?

Although Avandia and Actos are both type II diabetes medications, and both have been linked to significant risk factors, most Actos lawsuits cite different side effects than do patients who have complained of injury after taking Avandia.

However, while bladder cancer resulting from Actos use is the most common complaint, recent research reveals additional side effects. According to a 2010 study in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, patients taking Actos and Avandia have an equal risk of heart failure.

Comparing Avandia and Actos side effects

Both Avandia (rosiglitazone) and Actos (pioglitazone) are members of the thiazolidinedione (TZD) drug class. TZD drugs work by reducing the body’s tissue insulin resistance, which in turn results in healthy blood sugar levels for diabetics. All TZDs have in common several side effects, including weight gain, heart failure and water retention. However, different types of TZDs may also have their own unique list of side effects.

Actos side effects, for example, extend beyond the general TZD risk factor list to include increased risk of Actos bladder cancer in patients who take the medication for more than 12 months.

The most commonly cited Avandia side effect, on the other hand, is heart attack. A 2007 study showed that taking Avandia could increase a patient’s risk of heart attack by 43 percent. After this research was published, medical professionals began prescribing Actos over Avandia, believing it to be the safer drug.

Actos bladder cancer not only major risk factor

The 2010 study published in Circulation showed that Actos may not be safer than Avandia in regard to the risk of heart problems. The study claimed that Actos and Avandia show the same rate of heart failure. Researchers studied 36,000 patients taking either Avandia or Actos, and discovered that both groups showed the same rate of heart problems: four percent of all patients experienced heart attack, heart failure, or related death.

Actos lawsuit plaintiffs cite Actos side effects

Actos lawsuit plaintiffs often seek damages and other compensation related to Actos side effects, especially Actos bladder cancer. The 2010 Circulation study may prompt more patients to consult an Actos lawyer about seeking compensation for heart injuries, as well.

Regardless of individual claims, most Actos lawsuit plaintiffs allege that the drug’s manufacturer failed to properly warn medical professionals or consumers of the associated risks.

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