Onglyza, a diabetes medication developed and distributed by AstraZeneca, has been linked to serious side effects, including those affecting the pancreas, thyroid, and cardiovascular system. Affected patients and families may be eligible to file a Tennessee Onglyza lawsuit and pursue compensation for damages allegedly associated with the medication.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Tennessee 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 and How Does It Work?
Onglyza belongs to a relatively new class of medication used to treat type 2 diabetes known as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, a specific kind of incretin mimetic therapy. Along with proper diet and regular exercise, incretin-based therapies such as Onglyza help to regulate high blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Incretin therapies such as Onglyza prompt the pancreas to release insulin when blood sugar is rising, prevent the pancreas from giving out too much glucagon, and helps to slow the rate at which the stomach empties after eating.
Incretin-based therapies mimic natural hormones (incretins), telling the body to release insulin after the consumption of meals. Saxagliptin, the active ingredient in Onglyza and type of DPP-4 inhibitor, blocks DPP-4 enzymes and prolongs the effects of an insulin-stimulating hormone known as GLP-1.
Onglyza Side Effects
Like many prescription medications, Onglyza may cause a number of reactions and side effects when used as prescribed to treat diabetes. Adverse reactions and side effects of Onglyza include trouble breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; and hives.
Less serious side effects include:
- Nausea or upset stomach
- Diarrhea
- Heartburn and indigestion
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Headache
Symptoms associated with low blood sugar such as shaking, hunger, sweating, headache, rapid heartbeat, change in mood, or change in vision may worsen in people who already use other medications to treat type 2 diabetes.
Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer
In a safety warning issued 2013, the FDA noted reports of acute pancreatitis in patients who used Onglyza to treat type 2 diabetes. Severe cases of acute pancreatitis, or the inflammation of the pancreas, can be life threatening or even deadly.
Pancreatic cancer has also been allegedly connected to incretin-based therapies, including Onglyza, used to treat type 2 diabetes. According to a 2013 article published by the research journal Diabetes, incretin therapy in humans resulted in a marked expansion of the exocrine and endocrine pancreatic compartments, potentially evolving into cancerous neuroendocrine tumors. Pancreatic cancer is difficult to treat because it is often not diagnosed until later stages of the disease.
Other Serious Risks Associated with Onglyza
- Heart failure: 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 (NEJM) 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.
- Cardiovascular Risks: Based on results from the NEJM study, an FDA committee voted 13 to 1 that the results demonstrated that the use of saxagliptin to treat type 2 diabetes has an acceptable cardiovascular risk profile and recommended that the FDA add new safety information to the product’s labels.
- Thyroid cancer: Thyroid cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells begin to grow in your thyroid gland, an organ at the front of the neck that regulates the way the body makes and uses hormones. Victoza, a drug similar to Onglyza, was revealed in a 2011 FDA safety communication as having a possible association with thyroid cancer in patients who used the medication to treat type 2 diabetes.
How A Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee. 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 Tennessee today.
