Newly published research shows Avandia poses roughly the same heart-attack risk as competing drug Actos, contradicting earlier studies suggesting Avandia was more dangerous.
The new study, published this week in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, may have arrived at a different conclusion in part because its subjects may have been younger and healthier than in previous studies, says study author Debra Wertz in a WebMD interview.
A recent FDA study finding an elevated risk with Avandia focused on diabetics over age 65, with an average age of 74.4, WebMD notes. The Wertz study subject’s average age, by contrast, was 54, and all were privately insured, suggesting that they were likely to be employed and consequently in generally good health.
The findings will likely muddle Avandia’s regulatory status. Last month, an FDA advisory panel recommended adding a second warning to Avandia’s label warning of the cardiac risks while holding off on a similar warning for Actos.
Sales of Avandia have plunged this year, to about $1.1 billion from as high as $3.4 billion in 2006, while Actos sales have soared to $4.6 billion, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Source: http://diabetesnewshound.com/type2/avandia-actos/
