A Colorado Onglyza lawsuit may be an option for patients who suffered severe health complications after taking the diabetes medication. Following safety communications by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the diabetes drug Onglyza, also known as saxagliptin, has been linked to inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, heart failure, and joint pain. Affected patients and families may be eligible to file a Colorado Onglyza lawsuit to recover compensation for injuries allegedly associated with the medication.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Colorado 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 Colorado Onglyza lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is Onglyza and How Does It Work?
Onglyza is an oral diabetes medication that helps to regulate blood sugar levels in the body. As part of a complete program to treat diabetes, including diet and exercise, Onglyza is used to treat adults who suffer from type 2 diabetes, a condition that affects the way the body metabolizes glucose. Onglyza is only used to treat adults who suffer from type 2 diabetes.
Onglyza belongs to a type of diabetes medications known as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. Onglyza works by increasing the amount of incretin, a hormone released by the intestines, available in the body. Incretin raises insulin levels when blood sugar is high and decreases the amount of sugar produced by the body.
Patients with a history of gallstones, pancreatitis, alcoholism, and high blood triglyceride levels are advised talk with their doctor before taking the medication to treat type 2 diabetes.
Onglyza Side Effects and Risks
All medications have some type of side effect. Common reactions and side effects of Onglyza when used as prescribed to treat adults with type 2 diabetes include:
- Severe pain in the upper stomach spreading to the back
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Rapid heart rate
- Pain or burning when urinating
- Swelling of the hands, ankles, or feet
- Easy bruising or bleeding
Less serious side effects of the medication may include:
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Headache
- Stomach pain
Onglyza is sometimes used with other prescription medications to treat symptoms of type 2 diabetes. A higher risk of low blood sugar may result. Side effects of low blood sugar may include shaking, sweating, hunger, headache, rapid heartbeat, change in mood, and change in vision.
Onglyza and Heart Failure
Following a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2013, the FDA requested that the makers of Onglyza submit clinical trial data to investigate a potential link between the use of Onglyza and heart failure. Although the study was seen as preliminary, patients were encouraged to discuss any concerns they may have with their doctor or health care provider.
Onglyza and Thyroid Cancer
In a 2011 safety communication, the FDA noted a potential link between the use of Victoza, a diabetes drug similar to Onglyza, and the risk of thyroid cancer. In their report, the FDA recommended that doctors monitor patients who treat diabetes with Victoza and watch for increased signs of thyroid nodules, or small abnormal growths of tissue on the thyroid gland.
Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer Risks
In 2013, the FDA issued a safety communication warning of reported acute pancreatitis in patients taking Onglyza. If pancreatitis is suspected, patients should immediately cease using the drug and notify their doctor or health care provider immediately. It is unknown whether patients with a history of pancreatitis are at an increased risk for the development of pancreatitis while using the medication.
Pancreatic cancer has also been allegedly related to the use of incretin-based therapies, including Onglyza. In 2013, the American Diabetes Association issued an article in Diabetes, a peer-reviewed journal focusing on diabetes research. The research concluded that incretin therapy in humans resulted in a marked expansion of the exocrine and endocrine pancreatic compartments, potentially evolving into cancerous neuroendocrine tumors.
How A Colorado 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.
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 Colorado Onglyza lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Colorado. 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.
