Diabetes drug linked to increased risk of heart failure

Foodconsumer.org

A new population based cohort study published on Aug 20 on bmj.com suggests that diabetics should avoid using rosiglitazone to treat type 2 diabetes because the drug apparently raise the risk for heart failure and death.

The study found rosiglitazone, a drug indicated to treat type 2 diabetes was associated with increased risk of heart failure and death among older patients compared to pioglitazone, another diabetes drug.

Both diabetes drugs rosiglitazone and pioglitazone belong to a group of drugs called thiazolidinediones. Although they help control blood sugar, they can cause side effects like weight gain, fluid retention and heart failure.

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