Drug Safety

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FDA Drug Safety Communication: Avandia (rosiglitazone) labels now contain updated information about cardiovascular risks and use in certain patients

Safety Announcement

[2-03-2011] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is notifying the public that information on the cardiovascular risks (including heart attack) of the diabetes drug rosiglitazone has been added to the physician labeling and patient Medication Guide. This information was first announced by FDA on September 23, 20101 as part of new restrictions for prescribing and use of this drug.

Rosiglitazone is sold as a single-ingredient product under the brand name Avandia. Rosiglitazone is also sold as a combination product under the brand name Avandamet (contains rosiglitazone and metformin) and under the brand name Avandaryl (contains rosiglitazone and glimepiride).

In addition to describing the cardiovascular risks, the drug labels have been revised to state that rosiglitazone and rosiglitazone-containing medicines should only be used:

In patients already being treated with these medicines

In patients whose blood sugar cannot be controlled with other anti-diabetic medicines and who, after consulting with their healthcare professional, do not wish to use pioglitazone-containing medicines (Actos, Actoplus Met, Actoplus Met XR, or Duetact).

At this time, FDA has only approved these safety-related changes to the physician labeling and Medication Guides for the rosiglitazone-containing medicines. The Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS), which will restrict rosiglitazone-containing medicines' availability, has not yet been approved and formally implemented.

[09-23-2010] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it will significantly restrict the use of the diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) to patients with Type 2 diabetes who cannot control their diabetes on other medications. These new restrictions are in response to data that suggest an elevated risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, in patients treated with Avandia.

Tarun Wadhwa