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FDA Warns of Possible Link Between Diabetes Drug and Acute Pancreatitis
The FDA warned physicians on Tuesday that patients taking the type 2 diabetes drug exenatide (Byetta) may be at risk for acute pancreatitis, following a review of 30 cases.
The agency says that doctors should tell their patients on exenatide to seek immediate treatment if they experience unexplained severe abdominal pain with or without vomiting. Patients should stop taking exenatide if pancreatitis is suspected. Once the condition has been confirmed, patients should not resume taking the drug unless another source of the pancreatitis has been identified.
According to the FDA, 27 of the 30 patients with pancreatitis had at least one other risk factor. In six cases, patients noticed onset or worsening of pancreatitis after doubling their dose of the drug. And in 22 cases, patients improved after stopping the drug.
LINK(S):
FDA alert (Free)
Published in Physician's First Watch October 17, 2007
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