All of these deaths occurred early in the use of the drug when patients were not being monitored for this problem. Indeed many of the people who developed liver disease and died had liver disease prior to taking the drug so they should not have been started on it. Since this information became available over a year ago, we have been monitoring patients carefully, and no deaths have occurred since. The liver damage from the drug is rare, and when picked up early and the drug is stopped, it is reversible. The information made public recently in the lay press was over a year old and had been corrected by the medical profession and the company.
Monitoring is by a simple blood test to measure the transaminase enzymes.
These enzymes should be measured before starting the drug, monthly for the first 8 months of therapy, then every 2 months, and then at every regular doctor visit. If this is done, there is little or no danger from this drug. It is a highly effective drug and has vastly improved diabetes control in thousands of patients and should continue to be used. Be sure, though, if you are taking the drug that your doctor is monitoring your enzyme levels and that the drug is stopped if they begin to rise. General Recommendations Oral hypoglycemic and anti-hyperglycemic agents have an important place in the medical management of diabetes.