619.541.6609
We are available 24/7
Posted on 15th May, 2019
by Legal Staff
The class of type 2 diabetes drugs known as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors may increase pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer risk.
These conclusions were drawn after a study published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Diabetes Care highlighted these extremely severe health risks.
The DPP-4 inhibitors included saxagliptin (Onglyza), sitagliptin (Januvia), vildagliptin, linagliptin (Tradjenta), and gemigliptin.
Saxagliptin, also sold under brand names Onglyza and Kombiglyze XR, works to reduce blood sugar levels by blocking the action of the DPP-4 enzyme, allowing insulin to be produced for much longer after meals than what is natural without medication.
The study, conducted by researchers from the Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, focused on whether DPP-4 inhibitors increased pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer risk in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics.
The study included 33,208 patients; among these, 10,218 were new users of DPP-4 inhibitors such as Onglyza and Kombiglyze XR between 2007 and 2013.
The data showed that patients treated with DDP-4 inhibitors were more likely to be diagnosed with pancreatitis. Researchers identified that 27% of the DPP-4 inhibitor users were more likely to develop pancreatitis than those receiving other medications, and 24% were more likely to develop the condition when the researchers considered a 6-month exposure lag period.
Those exposed to DPP-4 inhibitors were also 50% more likely to experience pancreatic cancer than those using other medications and 81% more likely when the researchers incorporated a 6-month exposure lag period.
Researchers note that further studies with an extended duration of treatment are warranted to investigate the relationship between DPP-4 inhibitors use, particularly in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and pancreatic safety.
If you or someone you love has suffered from heart failure symptoms, pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, or other serious side effects of Onglyza or Kombiglyze XR, you may be eligible for a claim.
Filing an Onglyza claim cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by the side effects of these medications.
Still, it can help alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages. You may be eligible to join a free Onglyza or Kombiglyze XR claim investigation and pursue compensation for your injuries.
To have our team of experts check and see if you qualify for a potential Onglyza or Kombiglyze XR case, contact us today.