Thiazolidinediones May Cause Increased Cardiac Risk in Older Adults

A study that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on Dec. 12th, 2007, shows that people over 65 may have an increased risk of congestive heart failure and heart attack, compared to younger people, with the diabetes drugs rosiglitazone (Avandia) and pioglitazone (Actos) which are in the class of thiazolidinediones (TZD's).

The authors of the study point out that most of the previous studies of cardiovascular risks looked at people younger than 65 and that older people are less likely to be included in most clinical trials.

The study's objective was to assess the cardiac risk of TZD's in diabetes patients who were over 66 years of age. The study took place in Ontario, Canada.

The authors state, "In summary, in this population-based study of older community-dwelling patients with diabetes, TZD treatment was associated with a significant increase in the risks of CHF [congestive heart failure], AMI [acute myocardial infarction], and death compared with other oral hypoglycemic agent treatments."

The authors also stress that treatment for diabetes is a very individual process and health care professionals and their patients should weigh the potential benefits against the risks of TZD's when deciding on medications, especially for older patients.

More from your diabetes guide...

• Thiazolidinediones: Oral Medication for Type 2 Diabetes
• Heart Disease and Diabetes

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