Injuries from Invokana and other diabetes medications are resulting in lawsuits being filed at an increasing rate
San Diego, CA, December 10, 2015 (Newswire.com) - The market for diabetes drugs has never been stronger, and this demand has propelled sales of Johnson & Johnson’s hallmark diabetes drug Invokana along with a host of other new wave SGLT2 Inhibitors that include Farxiga, Jardiance, Xigduo, Invokamet, and Glyxambi. Unfortunately, some 70 million people in developed regions, including North America and Europe, have been diagnosed with diabetes, and the global population of diabetics is expected to grow from 365 million people today to upwards of 550 million people by 2030. These trends and growth have provided drug manufacturers with serious incentive to get their drugs to the market as quickly as possible and questions are now being raised about the sufficiency and accuracy of the clinical trials that allowed these drugs to be approved by the FDA to begin with.
What are SGLT2 Inhibitors and what are the risks associated with their use?
SGLT2 inhibitors are also known as gliflozins. They lead to a reduction in blood glucose levels. Therefore, SGLT2 inhibitors have potential use in the treatment of type II diabetes. As studied on Invokana (canagliflozin), a member of this class of drugs, gliflozins enhance glycemic control as well as reduce body weight and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. There are however serious concerns. The gliflozins canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, and empagliflozin have been linked to diabetic ketoacidosis or DKA, a condition where acid levels in the blood become dangerously high.
Warning signs of ketoacidosis (DKA) include vomiting, nausea, trouble breathing, general confusion, abdominal and intestinal pains and severe fatigue. The FDA has urged patients who are taking any of the aforementioned diabetes medications and are suffering from any of these symptoms to seek medical attention immediately.
Additional side effects of gliflozins allegedly include increased risk of kidney failure and other kidney injuries, heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis, urinary tract infections, candidal vulvovaginitis and hypoglycemia.
Dangerous Side Effects Linked to SGLT2 Inhibitor Diabetes Medications
Diabetic Ketoacidosis also known as DKA or Ketoacidosis is a condition in which high levels of ketones (chemicals that the body creates when it breaks down fat to use for energy) are produced in the body. Ketoacidosis is a condition that can result in a patient suffering diabetic coma, extended hospitalization and even death. Ketoacidosis develops when the body is unable to produce enough insulin, which insulin plays a major role in helping sugar (glucose) enter cells, and provides needed energy to the muscles and other tissues. Without enough insulin, the body breaks down fat as an alternative source of energy. This process produces a buildup of toxic acids in the bloodstream, ketones.
Kidney failure occurs when your kidneys stop functioning without the use of dialysis or a kidney transplant. Kidneys help filter waste products from the blood. They are also involved in regulating blood pressure, red blood cell production and electrolyte balance. If your kidneys fail to function properly, waste products, electrolytes and other fluids can build up in the body and can cause weakness, shortness of breath, fatigue, confusion, abnormal heart rhythms and death.
Myocardial infarction (MI) or acute myocardial infarction (AMI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow stops to a part of the heart causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the shoulder, arm, back, neck, or jaw. Often it is in the center or left side of the chest and lasts for more than a few minutes.
Why are we filing Diabetes Medication Lawsuits against the manufactures of drugs like Invokana, Jardiance, Xigduo, Invokamet, and Glyxambi?
The diabetes medication lawsuits allege that the manufacturers and marketers of SGLT2 inhibitors (including as Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., AstraZeneca, etc.) failed to adequately research their drugs in clinical studies and that they did not warn physicians or patients of the increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and other dangerous side effects. The lawsuits allege that if the manufacturers and marketers of these drugs had properly warned patients and doctors of the risks, there is a strong likelihood that doctors would have been more reluctant to prescribe the drugs, and that many of the patients would have been chosen a less dangerous alternative to treat their diabetes, and that they would likely have had relevant symptoms monitored on a more regular basis for potential signs of increased levels of ketones, heart concerns, and kidney impairment.
How to file a suit if you or a loved one have suffered an injury as a result of one of these medications
If you or a loved one have been prescribed one of the diabetes medications above and have suffered from a dangerous side effect such as diabetic ketoacidosis, kidney failure, heart attack or stroke, it is highly recommended that you contact an attorney as soon as possible. A lawsuit can be filed on your behalf at no cost to you or your family unless there is a settlement or verdict in your favor. Call right now at 888-323-9935 or complete the form at http://invokana.attorney/ and one of our attorneys will get back to you right away to discuss your case at no cost.
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