Avandia Attorney

Avandia (rosiglitazone) is an anti-diabetic drug in the class of drugs known as thiazolidinediones. It is manufactured and marketed by GlaxoSmithKlein and used primarily to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus, also known as adult onset diabetes. It works by helping the body make better use of naturally occurring insulin.

Avandia is prescribed as a standalone preparation or in combination with sulfonylurea, insulin, metformin as Avandamet, or glimepiride as Avandaryl. It is also sometimes prescribed "off-label" to treat Alzheimer's disease.

In March 2000, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalled Rezulin, another drug in the same class as Avandia. Avandia was intended to replace Rezulin as a safer alternative. Since Avandia's approval, however, the list of potential side effects has continued to grow, and some argue that it has not proved to be an improvement over its predecessor.

Potential side effects of Avandia listed by the FDA include:

* Hepatitis and other serious liver injury, including liver failure leading to transplant or death
* Cardiovascular problems and congestive heart failure
* Macular edema, or swelling in the back of the eye, leading to decreased or blurry vision
* Dangerously low blood sugar
* Recurrence of ovulation in women who had stopped having periods but who had not reached menopause nor use effective birth control