Lipitor is a popular drug used to treat high cholesterol. The American pharmaceutical company Pfizer has made and sold the drug, atorvastatin, by its brand name, Lipitor, since the FDA approved it in December of 1996.
Lipitor is prescribed in either 10mg or 80mg tablets to be taken daily. It is a statin class of hypolipidemics, which means Lipitor prevents a certain type of cholesterol from blocking arteries, reducing the user’s risk of developing heart disease.
Why is the Manufacturer Subject to Lawsuit?
Multiple studies have found statins to increase the risk of diabetes mellitus type 2. Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder that causes higher than normal blood glucose (sugar) levels, also known as hyperglycemia. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes.
In early 2012, the FDA required Pfizer to update Lipitor’s label to include a warning of an increased risk of its drug causing type 2 diabetes. Other manufacturers of cholesterol-lowering statins were required to do the same. Since that time, lawsuits against Pfizer have increased for this dangerous side effect.
What are the Studies linking Lipitor to Diabetes?
At least three prominent medical journals have published negative findings regarding statins and their connection to type 2 diabetes.
- Archives of Internal Medicine published a study in January 2012 that found women between the ages of 50 and 79 who took statin medications, such as Lipitor, were 48 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women who did not take the drug.
- The Lancelot found in 2011 that patients using statins experienced an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 9 percent.
- The JACC published a study in 2010 concluding that patients who took daily 80mg doses of Lipitor experienced an increased risk of developing diabetes by 37 percent compared to the control group.
Have you or someone you know been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes while taking Lipitor?
The lawyers at Lieser Law Firm can evaluate your case, answer your questions, and provide you with legal options. Contact us today to get answers.