Is Avandia safe?

Bottom Line: so far, appears to be safe.

So, what's the issue?

A recent study was done that lumped together a number of separate studies (this is called meta-analysis), and it suggested that people on Avandia may have more heart attacks or heart failure than people who don't take Avandia. (Bear in mind, that the manufacturer and the FDA are involved in looking at the safety of the drug, but are not felt to have been at fault in some way.)

Problem is, meta-analysis is kind of a forced apples-orange comparision and is known to produce conclusions that have to be carefully considered.

So far, investigations looking specifically at whether Avandia carries an increased risk of heart disease do not show an increased risk. Naturally, these findings will be made public as they are concluded.

In the mean time, it's worth bearing in mind that poorly controlled diabetes itself carries a very high risk of heart attack. Because the question of drug-related heart risks is inconclusive, it is probably better to use Avandia to keep your diabetes under good control.

[This posting is for general information, and is not a substitute for individual assessment or advice!]