Onglyza, a prescription drug used to treat adults with type 2 diabetes, has been linked to inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), pancreatic cancer, heart failure, and joint pain. Due to injuries allegedly associated with the medication, affected patients and families may be eligible to pursue compensation with the help of a Florida Onglyza lawsuit attorney.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Florida 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?
Along with diet, exercise, and other lifestyle changes, Onglyza is a prescription medication used to lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. Onglyza belongs to a relatively new group of diabetic medications known as incretin-based therapies, specifically belonging to a class known as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. The medication allows the pancreas to release insulin, stops the liver from making too much glucose, and mitigates blood sugar absorption rates.
Who Takes Onglyza and How Does It Work?
Onglyza only treats adults with type 2 diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis should not use Onglyza. Patients are advised to speak 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 eating food. Inhibiting DPP-4 allows the incretin in the body to stay longer, triggering the release of insulin and lowering glucose 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
Additional Onglyza side effects include:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Swelling or fluid retention
- Upper respiratory infection
- Urinary tract infection
- Hypoglycemia and side effects associated with low blood sugar such as shaking, sweating, rapid heartbeat, hunger, headache, change in vision, and change in mood
Onglyza Risks and FDA Warnings
In addition to some minor allergic reactions and side effects, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released the following warnings and communications regarding the use of Onglyza and serious, potentially life-threatening risks including:
- 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.
- 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 possible link between the use of the medication and heart failure. Although the investigation was preliminary, patients were encouraged to speak with their healthcare provider if they had any concerns.
- Thyroid cancer: Victoza, a drug similar 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.
- Joint Pain: A 2015 FDA warning noted the potential risk of joint pain related to the use of DPP-4 inhibitors, including Onglyza. The warning advised patients taking DPP-4 inhibitors to contact their doctors as soon as possible if they begin to experience constant joint pain.
How A Florida 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 Florida Onglyza lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
The time you have to pursue a claim is limited. Contact us for more information.Get Help Now.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Florida. You can fill out the form on this page, call us at the number listed at the top of the page, or email us at info@attorneygroup.com.
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.
See our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information, and contact Attorney Group for Florida today.
