Lipitor Lawsuit Attorney Philadelphia

Atorvastatin is a type of statin used to prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol, stabilizing plaque, and aiding in the prevention of strokes. Lipitor is the trade name of the statin manufactured and distributed by one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer. Lipitor works similarly to other statin medications, it blocks the production of the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase in the liver. The enzyme aids in the production of low-density lipids (LDLs) in the liver, thereby blocking the enzyme it reduces LDL levels, and further helps in the prevention of several cardiovascular disorders. Following the approval by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (“FDA”) in 1996, Lipitor became the most prescribed cholesterol-lowering drug on the market. Despite its wide spread use consumers were not made aware of the known dangers associated with Lipitor, primarily the increased risk of raised blood sugar levels and the development of Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic lifelong condition that affects one’s ability to convert and use the energy found in food. When one is no longer able to produce or use insulin, a hormone needed to convert food into energy, then blood sugar levels can become dangerously high. If you or a loved one are among the 20 million people in the United States who use statins on a daily basis to help manage their cholesterol, and you have developed diabetes, you may be entitled to legal recourse and just compensation for the injury caused. The Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers at Rosenbaum & Associates have over 25 years experience representing seriously injured plaintiff in products liability claims throughout Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey.

Studies have repeatedly linked the statin Lipitor with a significant risk of developing type II diabetes, despite living a healthy and active lifestyle. The group most at risk of developing diabetes while on Lipitor is middle-aged women. The Archives of Internal Medicine January 2012 study found that women between the ages of 50 and 79, who took statins such as Lipitor, were 48 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women who did not use statins. Another study published in 2011 for the medical journal The Lancet, found that patients who were on statins like Lipitor had a 9 percent chance of developing diabetes. Most recently a 2013 study released by the BMJ Group found that patients taking Lipitor and other similarly related statins had a 10-22 percent increased risk of developing diabetes compared to those who were taking Pravachol, another statin used to lower cholesterol.

Following a safety announcement by the FDA in February 2012, regarding Lipitor and statins overall safety concerns, new labeling requirements went into effect. The agency in regard to increases in blood sugar levels and statin use stated, “The FDA is also 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.” Lipitor and other statin drugs have been required to warn consumers of the heightened potential risk of developing diabetes, memory loss, confusion, and an increased risk of muscle injury while on statins.

Contact a Philadelphia Lipitor Litigation Lawyer

For some however, the warning has come too late. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with diabetes while taking the statin drug Lipitor, you may be eligible to file a Lipitor lawsuit. If you would like more information please contact our Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers online or call 1 800 7 LEGAL 7 for a Free Case Evaluation.