“The effect on public health may be considerable,” the analysis authors wrote.

Avandia (rosiglitazone) helps control blood sugar levels in the body, and is prescribed for patients with type 2 diabetes. Studies in recent years have differed about whether it boosts the risk of heart disease and death.

In response to growing concerns over the drug’s cardiovascular effects, U.S. health officials in September restricted the use of Avandia to patients with type 2 diabetes who cannot control their disease on other medications.

In the new analysis, researchers looked at the results of 16 studies that involved 810,000 users of Avandia or Actos (pioglitazone), a similar diabetes medication. The findings appear online March 17 in the BMJ.

The researchers found a “modest but statistically significant increase” in the odds of certain heart conditions in those who took Avandia. The risk of heart attack rose by 16 percent and increased 23 percent for congestive heart failure. Overall, mortality rates rose 14 percent.

Avandia is a common drug, with about 3.8 million prescriptions a year in the United States.

The analysis authors cautioned that Actos carries its own risks. Like Avandia, it’s been linked to a doubling of risk of fracture in women. And researchers worry that it may slightly boost the risk of bladder cancer.

“Patients should review this study with their physician to gain a better understanding of how their personal circumstances may or may not be reflected in the study, and talk to their physicians about the risks versus the benefit of taking the drug,” said Dr. Debra Wertz, outcomes research manager for HealthCore Inc., the research subsidiary of the insurance company WellPoint.

Wertz co-authored a 2010 study that found no significant differences in risk of heart attack, heart failure or death in patients who took the two drugs.

“One thing to consider is that the HealthCore study evaluated a population that is commercially insured and potentially younger [most were under 65] and healthier” than the studies analyzed in the meta-analysis, Wertz noted.

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Researchers at the University of Leeds found that Metformin and AICAR can prevent the hepatitis C virus from replicating in the body.

“We’re very excited about these findings. These drugs are already on the market, and whilst substantial clinical trials still need to take place before they can be used to treat hepatitis C infection, we think it could be an enormous step forward in the battle against the virus,” Mark Harris, a professor in the Faculty of Biological Sciences, said in a news release from the university.

Metformin and AICAR stimulate an enzyme called AMP kinase (AMPK), which regulates energy within cells. The hepatitis C virus needs to suppress AMPK to replicate. By stimulating the enzyme, metformin and AICAR halt hepatitis C replication and enable cells to clear the infection, according to Harris and colleagues.

They’ve applied for a patent on the discovery and will soon begin a small-scale clinical trial with the University of Nottingham.

Hepatitis C virus, which damages the liver, affects about 3 percent of the world’s population. Only about 40 percent of people with hepatitis C fully recover, while many patients develop cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Technorati Tags: diabetes drug, hepatitis C infection, Metformin, treat hepatitis C

From April 2005 to October 2008, the FDA received 78 reports of kidney function problems in patients taking Byetta. Most of the problems occurred in patients with pre-existing kidney disease or one or more risk factors for developing kidney problems. Byetta is prescribed for type 2 diabetes; 7 million prescriptions were filled between April 2005 and September 2008, according to the agency

“Health-care professionals and patients taking Byetta should pay close attention to any signs or symptoms of kidney problems,” Dr. Amy Egan, of the Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products at the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in an FDA news release.

“Patients also should be aware that problems with kidney function could lead to changes in urine color, frequency of urination or the amount of urine, unexplained swelling of the hands or feet, fatigue, changes in appetite or digestion, or dull ache in the mid- to lower back,” Egan said.

She advised patients with any of these symptoms to immediately consult with a health-care professional.

Byetta, made by San Diego-based Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc., is used to control blood sugar levels.

Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are the most common side effects associated with the drug. These side effects may contribute to the development of kidney malfunction, which can lead to a build-up of waste products in the blood, resulting in serious illness and potentially life-threatening conditions.

Technorati Tags: Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Byetta, diabetes drug, Food and Drug Administration, kidney problems