John J. Driscoll
Patients and their families should read this new paper. If they are alarmed by the researchers’ findings, they should contact an attorney to learn more about their legal rights and options as they move forward.
St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) July 13, 2013
Nationally recognized drug injury lawyer John J. Driscoll said patients who have taken Lipitor to reduce their “bad cholesterol” should review a new study that suggests a connection between using the drug and the risk of diabetes.
BMJ (formerly British Medical Journal) published the paper, “Risk of incident diabetes among patients treated with statins: population based study,” in May 2013.
The Canadian researchers behind the study concluded that treatment with higher potency statin drugs such as Lipitor (atorvastatin) and Zocor (simvastatin) “might be associated with an increased risk of new-onset diabetes.”
“This study adds to the growing body of medical literature that has linked Lipitor and the risk of developing diabetes, especially among older adults who use this drug,” said Driscoll of The Driscoll Firm, P.C., which represents clients across the country in product liability actions involving pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
“Patients and their families should read this new paper,” he continued. “If they are alarmed by the researchers’ findings, they should contact an attorney to learn more about their legal rights and options as they move forward.”
The BMJ-published study found that patients treated with atorvastatin (Lipitor) faced a 22 percent increased risk of new-onset diabetes. Also, older patients were found to be at an increased risk regardless of the dose they received or whether their statin therapy was used as a primary or secondary prevention.
Driscoll noted that a University of Massachusetts Medical School study that was published online in January 2012 in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes after consuming “statin drugs” such as Lipitor was higher among women in their late 40s and older.
In February 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made “important safety changes” to the labels of statin drugs, including Lipitor, to reflect that the FDA was “aware of studies showing that patients being treated with statins may have a small increased risk of increased blood sugar levels and of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus.”
“Our law firm will continue to closely monitor the emerging research in this area, and we are available to speak with concerned Lipitor patients and family members,” Driscoll said.
About The Driscoll Firm, P.C.
The Driscoll Firm, P.C., is dedicated to fighting for the rights of people and families injured by the wrongful acts of individuals and companies. The firm is currently investigating national injury claims involving product liability, defective drugs, dangerous medical devices, medical malpractice, car accidents, premises liability, spinal cord injuries, birth injuries, Cerebral Palsy, brain injuries, Erb's palsy and other circumstances that have caused serious injury or death. The Driscoll Firm, P.C., is based at 211 N. Broadway, 40th Floor, St. Louis, MO, 63102, and serves clients nationwide. To learn more, call (800) 305-9800 or use the firm’s online contact form. All initial consultations are free and confidential.