Public release date: 17-Jul-2007
This Cochrane Systematic Review analysed data from 18 trials that involved a total of 8432 people and found no evidence that rosiglitazone led to better patient outcomes when compared with other therapies. Diabetic control (as measured by levels of HbA1c) was no better in patients given rosiglitazone when compared to other antidiabetic drugs. Patient oriented outcomes such as mortality, diabetes related morbidity, or quality of life were not addressed in most studies
In addition to confirming the known risk of edema (people taking the treatment are at twice the risk of developing this condition) and an increase in body weight up to 5.0 kg, the authors found evidence from one large study indicating increased cardiovascular risk and an enhanced risk in women of having broken bones.
Avandia, known generically as rosiglitazone, has been under a cloud since May, when top U.S. cardiologist Dr Steven Nissen published a pooled, or meta, analysis of 42 previous trials that showed it increased the risk of heart attack by 43 percent.
Ralph’s Note ( The FDA approved this drug knowing it was a bad ineffective drug, the drug is still on the market being prescribed by doctors. Even though there are better studied, and effective medications.)