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. Affected patients and families may be eligible to file a North Carolina Onglyza lawsuit and pursue compensation for damages allegedly associated with the medication.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for North Carolina 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 widely prescribed oral medication used to treat people with type 2 diabetes. Taken regularly, along with proper diet and exercise, Onglyza controls high blood pressure, helping to prevent kidney damage, blindness, nerve problems, loss of limbs, and sexual function problems. Onglyza is not used to treat people who suffer from type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis.
If patients have kidney disease, pancreatitis, gallstones, high triglycerides, or a history of alcoholism, it is recommended that they talk with their doctor or primary care provider before taking Onglyza.
How Does Onglyza Work?
Onglyza belongs to a group of type 2 diabetes medications known as incretin-based therapies, specifically belonging to a class of drugs called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. A relatively new class of diabetes medications, DPP-4 inhibitors work to increase incretin levels therefore helping the body produce more insulin when needed and reducing the amount of glucose produced by the liver when it is not needed.
Onglyza Side Effects
Common side effects associated with Onglyza include upset stomach, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, flu-like symptoms, urinary tract infection, upper respiratory infection, headache, dizziness, and rash.
Symptoms associated with low blood sugar such as shaking, hunger, sweating, headache, rapid heartbeat, change in mood, or change in vision may worsen in patients who take additional medications to treat type 2 diabetes.
Heart Failure and Cardiovascular Risks
Heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition in which the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs for blood and oxygen. 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.
Onglyza and Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells begin to grow in the thyroid gland, an organ at the front of the neck that regulates the way the body makes and uses hormones. In a 2011 letter sent by Danish biopharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, health care professionals were reminded of the potential risk associated with C-cell tumors and the diabetes drug Victoza, a drug similar to Onglyza. The FDA responded by recommending that patients who use the drug look for signs of thyroid nodules and notify their doctor immediately if they begin to show symptoms.
Onglyza, Pancreatitis, and Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas releases powerful digestive enzymes into the small intestine to aid in the digestion of food and releases insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream, controlling how the body uses food for energy. According to a warning issued by the FDA in 2013, acute pancreatitis was reported in patients taking Onglyza.
Pancreatic cancer begins in the tissues of the pancreas and often has a poor prognosis, even when diagnosed early. Pancreatic cancer typically spreads rapidly and is rarely detected in its early stages, which makes it a leading cause of cancer deaths. In addition to previous warnings regarding post-marketing reports of pancreatitis, the FDA issued a report in March 2013 that the agency was going to evaluate unpublished findings that may suggest the possible increased risk pre-cancerous cellular changes in patients who used incretin mimetic medications, including Onglyza.
How A North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina. 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 North Carolina today.
