Avandia - What You Should Know
If you are taking Avandia as part of your diabetes treatment - or are considering it - you've probably been glued to news surrounding the potential cardiovascular risks. dLife columnist Daniel Trecroci has talked to the experts and now shares his findings with the dLife community. Before you do anything, read all about it here, then talk more with your doctor.
Comments
- At 01:56 PM on Wed, Jul 4, 2007 dore wrote:
It is bizarre to me that the researchers mention people with diabetes "who are at high risk for heart disease" in these articles.
ALL PEOPLE WITH DIABETES ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR HEART DISEASE!
Certainly, tight glucose control, careful monitoring and control of blood pressure and lipids and EXERCISE are ESSENTIAL to lowering risk as well as careful A1C monitoring.
But to elude to the fact that some diabetics ARE NOT at high risk and others ARE is very misleading.
It is not a matter of HIGH vs.LOW risk, it is a matter of HIGH vs HIGHER risk.
In being a cardiology nurse for 20 years, I have seen the devaststating possibilities. All persons with diabetes need to be aware of their HIGH risk as a motivating factor for behavioral change!
- At 07:19 PM on Fri, Jun 29, 2007 Dona Edwards wrote:
I recently stopped taking Avandia after hearing about the risks. I was very disappointed because it was actually help control my blood sugar. I am hoping that they will come up with something on that line that does the job. I just couldn't take the chance as heart problems (on my Mother's side) was really bad. Finding dlife recently has opened my eyes more than what my Doctor could. My husband and have only seen two shows because we only recently came across it. Now we will be a regular viewer every Sunday. Keep up the good work I know you are helping others like myself.
Donna
- At 03:56 PM on Fri, Jun 29, 2007 Jenny wrote:
This was a well balanced review, unlike many. Thanks!
One issue that wasn't discussed enough, though, is the dangers of the edema these drugs cause. Dr. Bernstein mentioned in his recent teleconference that he examines patients for edema before prescribing them and he won't put patients on TZDs who have edema. And if they develop edema, he takes them off the drug.
This contrasts with how most doctors operate. I've spoken with many people who had severe edema while on TZDs whose doctors told them to keep taking them.
The risk of heart failure with these drugs is well known, and it is possible that the extra fluid load of this TZD-caused edema is straining already weakened hearts.
So patients with edema should discuss whether they should keep taking this drug with their doctor and demand a compelling reason why. If the reason is "the drug rejuvenates beta cells", well, the long term research no longer supports that idea.
I've been taking Avandia for YEARS, and it has always kept me well in control. My Dr. said the charges against it were not well proven; so it would take a lot more proven science to impress me.
The news sources are always blowing things out of context. Do you wonder why we readers won't quite believe what we read?
...AND...Does someone have a vendetta against GlaxoSmithKline?