Can I file a wrongful death lawsuit if my loved one was taking Actos?
If you have a relative who suffers from type-2 diabetes, you’re probably aware of the care they require in their daily lives. Pricking their fingers to test glucose levels, reading labels to make sure certain foods are “safe,” and making sure they eat every few hours to keep their sugar levels steady. If this loved one passes away, you may think it was just part of their condition-that their life was tragically shortened by their disease.
But what if their death was caused not by having diabetes, but the medication they were taking to treat it?
You may have heard that taking Actos can cause a number of serious side effects. What you may not know is that these effects range from short-term ailments to permanent damage-and can even result in death.
Here are just a few potentially fatal conditions that can occur when taking Actos in Palm Beach:
- Heart attacks. The number of heart attacks reported has been on the rise, with some estimates as high as 4% of all diabetics taking Actos suffer some type of sudden cardiac event.
- Congestive heart failure. Actos causes fluid retention which, if it goes unchecked, could lead to pulmonary edema and cause heart failure in older or overweight patients.
- Bladder cancer. Actos carries a black box warning from the FDA warning against the heart-related side effects, but carries no such warning about its potential to cause bladder cancer. The FDA does warn, however, that those who have a history of cancer should not take Actos because it can cause cancer to reoccur.
- Fractures. Women over the age of 60 are especially at risk of bone degeneration while taking Actos. Unlike younger patients, a hip fracture can be fatal in seniors due to their body’s inability to heal.
- Ketoacidosis. Although Actos is supposed to lower blood sugar, it can cause hyperglycemia symptoms in some patients, leading to fatal cases of ketoacidosis.
If someone taking Actos suffered a wrongful death in your family, we can hold the drug company responsible for your loss. Call Fetterman & Associates today at (866) 865-1244 for a free consultation on your case.

