A California Onglyza lawsuit may be an option for those who have suffered from complications associated with the diabetes medication. Onglyza, a medication used to treat adults with type 2 diabetes, has been allegedly linked to cases of pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, heart failure, and joint pain. Due to the alleged risks associated with the medication, affected patients and families may be eligible to recover compensation with the help of a California Onglyza lawsuit attorney.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for California today. Our consultations are free, confidential and without any obligation on your part. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is Onglyza?
Onglyza is a prescription medication used along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar (glucose) in adults with type 2 diabetes. Onglyza is part of a class of diabetes medications called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. The drug allows the pancreas to release insulin, stops the liver from producing too much sugar, and reduces glucose absorption rates.
Who Takes Onglyza and How Does It Work?
In addition to diet and exercise, Onglyza is used to treat adults with type 2 diabetes. Onglyza should not be used to treat people who suffer from type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. Patients are encouraged to talk with their doctor before taking Onglyza if they have kidney disease, pancreatitis, gallstones, high triglycerides, or a history of alcoholism.
Onglyza works to lower blood sugar levels by helping the body increase the production of insulin after the consumption of meals. Some people with type 2 diabetes do not produce enough incretin, a natural hormone your body that tells the body to release insulin after you eat. Inhibiting DPP-4 helps the incretin stay in the body longer, triggering the release of insulin and lowering blood sugar levels.
Onglyza Side Effects
Serious allergic reactions of Onglyza include:
- Swelling of the face, lips, or throat
- Difficulty swallowing or breathing
- Swelling of the skin
- Hives, rash, itching, flaking, or peeling
Symptoms associated with low blood sugar such as shaking, hunger, sweating, headache, rapid heartbeat, change in mood, or change in vision may become worse in people who already take other medications to treat type 2 diabetes.
Onglyza Risks
In addition to some minor allergic reactions and side effects, Onglyza has been linked to several serious, potentially life-threatening side effects including:
- Heart failure: Following a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested that the makers of Onglyza submit clinical trial data to investigate a possible association between the use of the medication and heart failure. Although the investigation was preliminary, patients were advised to speak with their doctor if they had any concerns.
- Thyroid cancer: Victoza, a diabetes drug that works similarly to Onglyza, was indicated in a 2011 FDA safety communication as having a possible association with thyroid cancer in patients who used the drug to treat type 2 diabetes.
- Pancreatitis: According to a warning issued by the FDA in 2013, acute pancreatitis was reported in patients taking Onglyza. If pancreatitis is suspected, patients should stop taking the medication and notify their doctor as soon as possible. In addition to risks of pancreatitis, there is a potential for the increased risk of pancreatic cancer from DPP-4 medications, including Onglyza.
- Pancreatic cancer: Also in 2013, the FDA issued a report investigating and evaluating unpublished findings suggesting the possible increased risk of pancreatitis and pre-cancerous cellular changes in adults who used incretin mimetic medications, including Onglyza. At the time of the precaution, the FDA advised patients to continue taking the drug as prescribed until they were able to discuss options with their doctor or health care professional.
Joint Pain Associated With Onglyza
In 2015, the FDA warned of the possible risk of joint pain associated with the use of DPP-4 inhibitors, including Onglyza. The warning advised patients taking DPP-4 inhibitors to promptly contact their doctors if they begin to experience persistent joint pain.
How A California Onglyza Lawsuit Can Help
Drug manufacturers have a duty to ensure their products are accompanied by full and accurate instructions and warnings to guide prescribing doctors and other health care providers in making treatment decisions. If a drug maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
Patients who are injured by Onglyza may be entitled to compensation for damages, including:
- Medical expenses
- The permanency of the injury
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Loss of income or ability to work
If a patient dies from complications after taking Onglyza, family members may be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one, including:
- Conscious pain and suffering of a loved one prior to death
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish from the loss of a loved one
- Funeral expenses
Patients who have suffered severe side effects after taking Onglyza, as well as the families of those who have died as a result of complications with the drug, are encouraged to seek the advice of a California Onglyza lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for California.
When you contact us, an attorney will follow up with you to speak with you about your case or answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
