Please be advised that O’Connor, Acciani & Levy are no longer accepting cases for Lipitor.
The popular cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor has been linked to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to numerous studies and thousands of lawsuits filed against Lipitor's manufacturer. Type 2 diabetes is a life-threatening medical condition that requires lifestyle changes and lifelong monitoring and other treatments. If you were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after you started taking this medication, you could be entitled to compensation for medical costs and other damages. The defective drug attorneys at O'Connor, Acciani & Levy may be able to file a Lipitor class action lawsuit to try to hold the manufacturer accountable and recover fair compensation. Our Cincinnati Lipitor lawyers can walk you through every step in the legal process, as we fight for your best interests. You are entitled to a free, no obligation legal consultation with our attorneys. If you have a case and decide to move forward, we will not charge legal fees unless you receive compensation for your injuries.HOW DOES LIPITOR WORK?
Lipitor received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1996 and has become one of the most popular statins on the market. Statins are a class of drugs that are often used to help patients lower their cholesterol. Lipitor is a calcium salt tablet that works by inhibiting the body's production of HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme produced by the liver. This enzyme produces cholesterol, so inhibiting its production can help lower the patient's overall cholesterol levels. Lipitor can also help lower the level of triglycerides in the blood – high triglycerides have been linked to an increase in the risk of heart attacks, blood clots and strokes.DANGEROUS SIDE EFFECTS
However, research has shown that Lipitor can also increase your risk for type 2 diabetes. This is a condition where your body cannot produce all of the insulin it needs or use the insulin the way it should. This results in glucose building up in your blood, causing high blood sugar levels. This can damage your organs and possibly result in a heart attack. There are a few theories about how this happens. It could be because Lipitor raises blood sugar levels. Another theory is that Lipitor increases your resistance to insulin. A third theory is that Lipitor and other statins hurt your ability to secrete insulin from the pancreas. No matter why it happens, if Lipitor causes you to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you may have grounds for a class action lawsuit with the help of our Cincinnati lawyers. Our class action attorneys are prepared to fight for fair compensation for the physical, financial and emotional damages you have suffered.RESEARCH LINKING LIPITOR TO TYPE 2 DIABETES
Studies have consistently found a link between taking Lipitor and developing type 2 diabetes. This includes a study published in 2011 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, which found that taking Lipitor can slightly increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to taking a placebo. In 2012, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study about the risk of diabetes in postmenopausal women in the Women's Health Initiative who took statins. Researchers found there was an increased risk for diabetes among this population of patients. The study also noted that there is evidence of an increased risk of diabetes in the elderly, women and Asians who used statins. In 2013, the British Medical Journal published a study to examine the risk of diabetes in patients who took statins, the class of medications that includes Lipitor. Researchers compared the risk between high potency statins like Lipitor and pravastatin, which is a lower potency. They found that Lipitor and other high-potency statins might be associated with an increased risk of new onset diabetes. Researchers studied a group of patients 66 years old or older without diabetes who began treatment with statins between Aug. 1, 1997 and March 31, 2010. A study published in 2015 in Diabetologia found that there was a 46 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes in patients who were taking statins, like Lipitor. Researchers studied 8,749 patients between the ages of 45 and 73 for 5.9 years. The diabetes cases were attributed to a decrease in insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity. Our skilled Cincinnati attorneys know how to use this Lipitor research to build a case to try to prove that the manufacturer was negligent in some way. We may be able to file a Lipitor class action lawsuit to pursue compensation for the damages you have suffered.FDA DRUG SAFETY COMMUNICATION ABOUT LIPITOR
After conducting a comprehensive review of statins, the FDA released a drug safety communication about Lipitor in 2012. The communication noted that regulators had approved changes to Lipitor labeling to advise the public about safe and effective use of statins. The communication does not specifically mention the risk of type 2 diabetes, but it does say there have been reports of increases in blood sugar levels, a symptom of type 2 diabetes. The communication also notes there have been rare reports of liver problems, which could create the following symptoms:- Fatigue that is out of the ordinary
- Loss of appetite
- Pain in the upper belly
- Dark-colored urine
