Onglyza, a prescription medication used to treat adults with type 2 diabetes, has been allegedly linked to cases of pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, heart failure, and joint pain. Affected patients and families may be eligible to file a New York Onglyza lawsuit and pursue compensation for damages allegedly associated with the medication.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for New York 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?
Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2009, Onglyza belongs to a relatively new group of diabetic medications known as incretin mimetics, specifically dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. Along with diet, exercise, and other lifestyle changes, Onglyza is used to lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Who Takes Onglyza and How Does It Work?
Onglyza only treats adults with type 2 diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis are not prescribed Onglyza. Patients are encouraged to discuss any history of kidney disease, pancreatitis, gallstones, high triglycerides, or alcoholism with their doctor before taking Onglyza. When left untreated, type 2 diabetes can lead to serious complications, including blindness, nerve and kidney problems, and heart disease.
Onglyza lowers blood glucose levels by helping the body increase the level of insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, after meals. Inhibiting DPP-4 allows the incretin in the body to stay longer, triggering the release of insulin and lowering glucose levels.
Onglyza Risks and FDA Warnings
In addition to some minor allergic reactions and side effects, the FDA has supplied several warnings and communications concerning the use of Onglyza and severe, potentially life-threatening risks including:
- Pancreatitis and Pancreatic cancer: According to a warning issued by the FDA in 2013, acute pancreatitis was reported in patients taking Onglyza. If pancreatitis is suspected, patients should not continue taking the medication and inform 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. Also in 2013, the FDA issued a report investigating and evaluating unpublished findings suggesting the possible increased risk of pancreatitis and pre-cancerous cellular changes in adults who used incretin mimetic medications, including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.
- Heart failure: Following a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2013, the FDA requested that the manufacturers of Onglyza present clinical trial data to investigate a possible link between the use of the medication and heart failure. As a result of the study, the FDA voted to recommend stronger precautions on the medication’s labels about the potential risk of heart failure associated with the drug.
- 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: In a 2015 FDA safety communication, patients were warned that the use of DPP-4 inhibitors, including Onglyza, may cause joint pain that can be severe. The warning advised patients taking DPP-4 inhibitors to notify their doctors as soon as possible if they begin to develop severe and persistent joint pain while taking Onglyza.
Onglyza Side Effects
Like most prescription medications, Onglyza may cause unwanted side effects. Allergic reactions and side effects may or may not need the attention of a medical professional. Patients are advised to contact their doctor if reactions and side effects persist.
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:
- Bloating or swelling of the arms, hands, lower legs, or feet
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness
- Cough
- Nausea
How A New York 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 New York Onglyza lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
The Time You Have to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for New York. 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 New York today.
