Risks of Avandia for diabetics

When a man got a call from his doctor,he was told to stop taking Avandia, which he had taken for 6 years for his diabetes. They say Avandia, a widely prescribed oral medication used to treat type 2 diabetes may increase a patient's risk of a heart attack and possibly death. A scientific analysis said that Avandia increased the risk of heart attack by 43%. Many doctors have been contacting their patients to explain the recent findings and risks and benefits of staying on Avandia, and possible alternatives. Many health care professionals say individuals should contact their doctors and not just stop taking Avandia on their own. This man said his doctor is switching him to Actos, a similar medication in the same class. They also said you can't assume Actos won't have the same side effects as Avandia though. Eighteen to 20 million people have type 2 diabetes. Complications include heart disease, blindness and nerve and kidney damage. Two out of three diabetics will die from heart attack and stroke.