Irish diabetes sufferers urged not to panic over drug scare

NEW research claims that drugs commonly used by diabetics may double the risk of heart failure — but tens of thousands of diabetes sufferers in Ireland are being urged not to panic.

Consultant endocrinologist Dr Graham Roberts said doctors had been aware for some considerable time that there might be question-marks over the use of the drugs to treat patients suffering from, or at risk of heart failure. And, he said, doctors were aware that the risks should be considered when prescribing the drugs.

New research published in Diabetes Care suggests that fluid retention caused by the two drugs — rosiglitazone and pioglitazone — used to treat type-2 diabetes may be to blame for increasing the heart failure risk.