Rosiglitazone and the Case for Safety Over Certainty
- David N. Juurlink, MD, PhD
- Author Affiliations: Sunnybrook Research Institute; Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto; and Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
- KEYWORDS:
- DIABETES MELLITUS
- DRUG REACTION, ADVERSE
- MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION
- PATIENT SAFETY
- PIOGLITAZONE
- ROSIGLITAZONE
- THIAZOLIDINEDIONES
- UNITED STATES FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
Approximately 10 years ago, the thiazolidinediones rosiglitazone and pioglitazone were introduced for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Like their forerunner troglitazone, which was removed from the market following reports of hepatotoxicity, these drugs act on the gamma subtype of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR-γ) in the cell nucleus, resulting in heightened insulin sensitivity and improved glycemic control.1 Because insulin resistance is a common feature of type 2 diabetes, the biological effects of thiazolidinediones made these drugs appealing to patients with diabetes and to their physicians who were looking for yet another way to avoid the need for insulin. Within a few years, both drugs became multibillion-dollar products despite no direct evidence that they actually prevented the complications of diabetes.
As the popularity of rosiglitazone and pioglitazone increased, reports surfaced of peripheral edema and congestive heart failure during treatment.2 It quickly became apparent that these medications could cause both …
