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
November 20, 2009 | Yes, Cats Can Catch the Swine FluOur cut little and cuddly cats that purr at us and give us so much love seems be susceptible to catch the swine flu. In fact, a cat in Iowa has tested positive for the H1N1 virus, state officials confirmed this morning, "marking the first time a cat has been diagnosed with this strain of influenza," the association said in a statement. "The cat, which has recovered, is believed to have caught the virus from ...
November 19, 2009 | Embryonic Stem Cells May Be Used To Create New SkinBoston (SmartAboutHealth) - A new study out of France has revealed that embryonic stem cells may be used to actually create new skin for humans. The belief is that by using these embryonic stem cells to create new skin, that it could prove extremely helpful in ...
November 18, 2009 | Back Pain Linked To Everyday ActivitesWhile that occasional back pain may go away after some rest and pain medication, many back pain sufferers are not aware that everyday activities - from wearing high heels to long work hours - can repeatedly strain the spine may lead to more serious consequences later. According to White Plains based neurosurgeon Dr. ...
Related articles:
Risk-taking - alcohol consumption behavior
Research on beer commercials by Strate (Postman, Nystrom, Strate, And Weingartner 1987; Strate 1989, 1990) and by Wenner (1991) show some interesting results. In beer commercials, the ideas of masculinity (especially risk-taking) are presented and encouraged. The commercial focuses on a situation where a man ...Section: Mens health risks
History
The earliest attempts at treating erectile dysfunction date back to Muslim physicians and pharmacists in the medieval Islamic world. They were the first to prescribe medication for the treatment of this problem, and they developed several methods of therapy for this issue, including a single-drug therapy method where a drug was prescribed and a "combination method of either a drug or food." Most of these drugs were oral medication, though a few patients were also treated through ...Section: Erectile Dysfunction
Chronic bacterial prostatitis - diagnosis
In chronic bacterial prostatitis there are bacteria in the prostate but usually no symptoms. The prostate infection is diagnosed by culturing urine as well as prostate fluid (expressed prostatic secretions or EPS) which are obtained by the doctor doing a rectal exam and putting pressure on ...Section: Prostatitis