Seroquel®: Increased Risk of Diabetes Development Over Older Drugs
Seroquel® Link to Diabetes Not a New Development
January 12, 2009 — AstraZeneca, manufacturer of antipsychotic drug Seroquel®, is faced with 15,000 claims that Seroquel® has placed users at an unnecessary risk to develop diabetes. A risk that AstraZeneca knew about as far back as 2000, according to company documents presented in federal court.
Seroquel® is part of a class of antipsychotics known as atypicals, which includes other drugs like Zyprexa® and Risperdal®. As part of a study published in the New York Times in 2003, all three drugs were associated with higher rates of diabetes in patients in comparison to older schizophrenia drugs like Haldol®. In response to mounting pressure, AstraZeneca issued a safety alert to health providers in January 2004, indicating a change in warning labels stating an increased risk of patients developing hyperglycemia and diabetes while taking Seroquel®.
AstraZeneca is facing thousands of suits, claiming they hid the health risks of Seroquel® from consumers, including the development of diabetes. In a June 26th, 2008 analysis provided by AstraZeneca to the FDA, 2.4% of patients that started Seroquel® treatment with normal blood sugar levels developed diabetes over a 52–week period. By comparison, 1.4% of patients that used a placebo developed diabetes over the same period. Seroquel® showed an increased risk of almost 70% that an otherwise healthy patient would develop diabetes while on the treatment.
Is the Effectiveness of Seroquel® Worth the Risk?
In 2005, the New England Journal of Medicine released a study testing the effectiveness of newer antipsychotic drugs against older, proven drugs. In their double blind study of 1,493 patients, they found that none of the new drugs, with the exception of Olanzapine®, proved any more effective than older formulations yet cost significantly more per treatment. Olanzapine®, while more effective at treating the symptoms, was also associated with greater weight gain and increases in glucose metabolism (hyperglycemia).
As with any medication, always discuss side effects or desired changes in medication with your doctor, as sudden changes in medication can have serious side effects. If serious complications have resulted from Seroquel® use for either you or a family member, including the onset of diabetes, you may have legal options against AstraZeneca. Please contact our attorneys to discuss your case free of charge.
