The risk of heart failure is not linked to dosages, say the researchers. They found that heart failure occurred equally at low and high doses. It took on average 24 weeks from the beginning of drug therapy to the onset of heart failure.

The study follows an earlier warning about Avandia, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in May, which linked the drug to a 43% increased risk of a heart attack. GlaxoSmithKline strongly contested that study's findings, which led to a 22% decline in global sales. Glaxo had argued that "there is no consistent or systematic evidence" linking Avandia to increased risk of heart attack or death.

Following the report it is believed that the drug will be pulled of the market. The Food and Drug Administration in the US will investigate the drug Avandia.

The product labels for both Avandia and Actos warn against their use in people with serious cases of heart failure. They also caution about the raised risk of heart failure when used together with insulin. Co-investigator Curt Furberg, M.D., said "Our findings support current efforts by the FDA to add a black box warning to the labeling for those agents."

Source-Medindia
BIN/B