Two Diabetes Drugs Double Heart Failure Risk: Study

From the Washington Post:

Patients taking either of the diabetes drugs Avandia or Actos face twice the risk of developing heart failure compared to people not on the popular medications, a new study finds.

This means for every 50 patients with type 2 diabetes taking these drugs, one patient will develop heart failure within 26 months, according to the report released Friday and published in the August issue of Diabetes Care.

"Both Avandia and Actos double the risk of heart failure," concluded the lead author of the first study, Dr. Sonal Singh, an assistant professor of internal medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. "We know these drugs increase the risk, but we found the risk is more substantial than suspected. This occurs at even the lowest dose and among young patients." ...more

Association between Long-Term Treatment with ACTOS® (pioglitazone hydrochloride) Tablets for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Fractures in Women

From Health Canada:
Eli Lilly Canada, after consultation with Health Canada, would like to bring to your attention important safety information concerning ACTOS® (pioglitazone hydrochloride) tablets, used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and the occurrence of bone fractures in female patients.
For health professionals
For the public