Alphabetical list:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Y Q Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
News: November 21, 2009
Diabetes Drug Byetta Linked to Kidney Problems
November 21, 2009The FDA has received 78 reports of kidney problems related to Byetta, a drug by Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Eli-Lilly prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes. With the new findings, the drug's label will be updated to warn doctors and patients about this possible side effect.
Byetta (exenatide) was approved in 2005. It's known as an incretin mimetic, which copies the action of incretin GLP-1, a hormone that is released in response to eating food which causes insulin to be secreted from the pancreas to lower blood glucose. The drug is injected twice a day, similar to insulin.
The drug recently was approved as a stand-alone treatment for controlling blood sugar, whereas previously it was prescribed for patients also on other diabetic therapies.
The reports of kidney failure were filed between April 2005 and October 2008. Sixty-two of the cases were for acute renal failure and 16 were cases of renal insufficiency. Most of the problems occurred in patients with pre-existing kidney disease or one or more risk factors for developing kidney problems. 91% of the patients were hospitalized, 18 required dialysis, 2 had kidney transplants, and 4 died. 80% stopped taking Byetta, and half of those patients had improvements to kidney function after discontinuing the drug.
Between 2005 and 2008, approximately 7 million prescriptions were written for Byetta. The FDA said, "Therefore, the 78 reported cases of altered renal funcion represent a small percentage of the total number of patients who have used the drug."
Some of the side effects of Byetta can contribute to kidney problems. For example, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting can lead to dehydration. Patients are encouraged to ask their physicians about their kidney function before taking Byetta and to monitor for signs and symptoms while taking the drug. Symptoms of kidney disease include changes in urine color, swelling in the feet and legs, fatigue, nausea or vomiting, and dull ache in the mid to lower back. If left untreated, kidney damage can worsen and lead to kidney failure.
Kidney malfunction may also occur as a consequence of diabetes itself, other chronic conditions, such as pancreatitis and hypertension. Concomitant use of certain medications (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, diuretics, and antihypertensives) can also lead to kidney problems. Discontinuation of Byetta should only be considered if kidney dysfunction cannot be explained by these or other causes.
The FDA is advising physicians to avoid prescribing Byetta for patients with severe renal impairment, identified as creatinine clearance less than 30 mL per minute, or end-stage renal disease. It also recommends using caution when initiating or increasing doses from 5 micrograms to 10 micrograms in patients with moderate renal impairment. Physicians should monitor patients for the development of kidney dysfunction while on Byetta.
In 2007, Byetta was linked to a higher risk of acute pancreatitis, a potentially life-threatening inflammation of the pancreas. In October 2007 and August 2008, the FDA issued safety alerts about the reports that included cases of hemorrhagic pancreatitis and nectrotizing pancreatitis, which can be fatal. The symptoms of pancreatitis include nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, a rise or fall in blood pressure, and increase heart or respiratory rates.
Adverse events for any medication should be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program.
Denise Reynolds RD LDN
Archive issues: (50)
Archive list: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 [16] 17
October 17, 2011 | Sen. Grassley Seeks FDA Scrutiny of Paxil and Suicide RiskWASHINGTON, June 12, 2008 Senator Chuck Grassley has asked the Food and Drug Administration to carefully scrutinize information it received from drug maker GlaxoSmithKline about the anxiety disorder drug Paxil, ...
September 21, 2009 | Topical cream studied for erectile dysfunctionScientists from Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University are working on a cream to rub on and treat erectile dysfunction (ED). The cream could prove to be safer than oral medications used to deliver nitric oxide to the cells that improves blood flow to treat impotency. Using encapsulated ...
May 21, 2012 | Onyx Rises on Analyst View of Blood Cancer DrugNEW YORK -- Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. shares rose Thursday after a Bernstein Research analyst started covering the stock with an "Outperform" rating, saying he thinks the company’s blood cancer drug candidate will reach $1 billion in annual sales by ...
Related articles:
Treatment - medication (Amitriptyline)
Amitriptyline can reduce symptoms in patients with IC/PBS. Patient overall satisfaction with the therapeutic result of amitriptyline was excellent or good in 46%.Section: Interstitial cystitis
Overview and symptoms
Erectile dysfunction is characterized by the regular or repeated inability to obtain or maintain an erection. There are several ways that erectile dysfunction is analyzed: Obtaining full erections at some times, such as when asleep (when the mind and psychological issues, if any, are less present), tends to suggest the physical structures are functionally working. However, the opposite case, a lack of nocturnal erections, does not imply the opposite, since ...Section: Erectile Dysfunction
Acute prostatitis - diagnosis
Acute prostatitis is relatively easy to diagnose due to its symptoms that suggest infection. The organism may be found in blood or urine, and some times in both. Common bacteria are Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Enterococcus, Serratia, and Staphylococcus aureus. This can be a medical emergency in some patients and hospitalization with intravenous antibiotics may be required. A complete blood count reveals increased white blood cells. Sepsis from prostatitis is very rare, but may occur in immunocompromised patients; high fever ...Section: Prostatitis