Avandia (rosiglitazone) - high risk of stroke and myocardial infarction

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it intends to significantly limit the use of Avandia especially in patients with diabetes type 2 which can control blood sugar levels by using other medicines. This decision is based on new FDA researches, according to which Avandia may significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction and stroke.

According to the new program of risk assessment REMS, Avandia will be available for patients only if they can not successfully control blood glucose levels using other drugs or for some reason can not take pioglitazone (another drug of the same class as Avandia) . Those patients who already use Avandia, may choose to continue therapy.

European drugs agencies started their own researches of Avandia in July just after seeing a study made by FDA medical officers.  Currently, Avandia is removed from almost all European markets.