Skip Navigation
American College of Physicians Logo
  • Subscribe
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Sign In
    Sign in below to access your subscription for full content
    INDIVIDUAL SIGN IN
    Sign In|Set Up Account
    You will be directed to acponline.org to register and create your Annals account
    INSTITUTIONAL SIGN IN
    Open Athens|Shibboleth|Log In
    Annals of Internal Medicine
    SUBSCRIBE
    Subscribe to Annals of Internal Medicine.
    You will be directed to acponline.org to complete your purchase.
Annals of Internal Medicine Logo Menu
  • Latest
  • Issues
  • Channels
  • CME/MOC
  • In the Clinic
  • Journal Club
  • Web Exclusives
  • Author Info
Advanced Search
  • ‹ PREV ARTICLE
  • This Issue
  • NEXT ARTICLE ›
Summaries for Patients |18 January 2000

Liver Damage in a Person Taking the Diabetes Drug Rosiglitazone

Article, Author, and Disclosure Information
Author, Article, and Disclosure Information

  • The summary below is from the full report titled “Hepatic Failure in a Patient Taking Rosiglitazone.” It is in the 18 January 1999 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine (volume 131, pages 118-121). The authors are L.M. Forman, D.A. Simmons, and R.H. Diamond.


Summaries for Patients are a service provided by Annals to help patients better understand the complicated and often mystifying language of modern medicine.
Summaries for Patients are presented for informational purposes only. These summaries are not a substitute for advice from your own medical provider. If you have questions about this material, or need medical advice about your own health or situation, please contact your physician. The summaries may be reproduced for not-for-profit educational purposes only. Any other uses must be approved by the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine.
×
  • ‹ PREV ARTICLE
  • This Issue
  • NEXT ARTICLE ›
Jump To
  • Full Article
  • FULL ARTICLE
  • FULL ARTICLE
    • What is the problem and what is known about it so far?
    • Why did the researchers do this study?
    • Who was studied?
    • How was the study done?
    • What did the researchers find?
    • What were the limitations of the study?
    • What are the implications of the study?
  • Figures
  • Tables
  • Supplements
  • Audio/Video
  • Summary for Patients
  • Clinical Slide Sets
  • CME / MOC
  • Comments
  • Twitter Link
  • Facebook Link
  • Email Link
More
  • LinkedIn Link

What is the problem and what is known about it so far?

High levels of blood sugar in diabetic patients contribute over time to such complications as blindness and kidney failure. The goal of diabetes treatment is therefore to keep blood sugar levels normal, but treatment often involves daily injections of insulin. The thiazolidinediones are a new class of diabetes drugs in pill form that lower blood sugar levels. Unfortunately, the first approved drug in this class, troglitazone, can cause severe liver damage in small percentage of people. It is not yet known whether the second drug in this class, rosiglitazone, is associated with severe liver problems.

Why did the researchers do this study?

The authors observed liver damage in a patient taking rosiglitazone.

Who was studied?

A 69-year-old man who had been taking rosiglitazone, 4 mg per day.

How was the study done?

The authors reviewed the patient's medical records.

What did the researchers find?

After taking rosiglitazone for 1 week, the patient had developed abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, and fatigue. His symptoms worsened over time, and he stopped taking the medication after 3 weeks. Five days later, he was admitted to the hospital with abdominal pain and shortness of breath, and rapidly became comatose. He also developed an abnormally slow heart rate and low blood pressure. In addition to diabetes, his previous medical problems included high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and an abnormal heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation). Blood tests in the hospital for liver damage were extremely abnormal; they had been normal before the patient began rosiglitazone.
The patient was treated with supportive care, and tests were done for other possible causes of the liver damage. None of these tests was positive. The doctors therefore concluded that the liver damage was due to either a toxic reaction to rosiglitazone, the episode of low blood pressure, or possibly a combination of the two. The patient's liver tests became normal over two weeks, and he eventually recovered completely.

What were the limitations of the study?

It is impossible to know with certainty in this single patient whether rosiglitazone, low blood pressure, or some other factor was responsible for his liver failure. For example, the patient was taking other drugs, including pravastatin, verapamil, betaxolol, digoxin, and warfarin, at the time the liver damage occurred; one or more of these drugs could have contributed to the problem.

What are the implications of the study?

Liver damage may possibly occur in patients who take rosiglitazone. Patients taking this drug should have their liver tests watched carefully and should stop taking the drug if symptoms develop.

This feature is available only to Registered Users

Subscribe/Learn More
Submit a Comment

0 Comments

Not Available
Citations
Citation

Liver Damage in a Person Taking the Diabetes Drug Rosiglitazone. Ann Intern Med. 2000;132:118. doi: https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-132-2-200001180-00030

Download citation file:

  • Ris (Zotero)
  • EndNote
  • BibTex
  • Medlars
  • ProCite
  • RefWorks
  • Reference Manager

© 2020

×
Permissions

Published: Ann Intern Med. 2000;132(2):118.

DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-132-2-200001180-00030

©
2000 American College of Physicians
0 Citations
Advertisement

See Also
Hepatic Failure in a Patient Taking Rosiglitazone
View MoreView Less

Related Articles
Trials That Matter: Rosiglitazone, Ramipril, and the Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes
Annals of Internal Medicine; 146 (6): 461-463
Liver Damage in a Person Taking the Diabetes Drug Pioglitazone
Annals of Internal Medicine; 136 (6): I-65
Hepatocellular Injury in a Patient Receiving Rosiglitazone: A Case Report
Annals of Internal Medicine; 132 (2): 121-124
Liver Injury in a Person Taking the Diabetes Drug Rosiglitazone
Annals of Internal Medicine; 132 (2): 121
View MoreView Less

Journal Club
Incretin-based drugs were not linked to HF hospitalization compared with other oral antidiabetic drug combinations
Annals of Internal Medicine; 165 (2): JC11
Review: Rosiglitazone increases risk for cardiovascular outcomes and mortality compared with pioglitazone in type 2 diabetes
Annals of Internal Medicine; 155 (4): JC2-12
In older patients, rosiglitazone was associated with increased risk for stroke, heart failure, and mortality compared with pioglitazone
Annals of Internal Medicine; 153 (12): JC6-11
Pioglitazone was associated with lower risk for adverse cardiovascular events than rosiglitazone in older patients
Annals of Internal Medicine; 152 (4): JC2-13
View MoreView Less

Related Topics
Cardiology
Coronary Risk Factors
Diabetes
Endocrine and Metabolism
Gastroenterology/Hepatology

Cardiology, Coronary Risk Factors, Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolism, Gastroenterology/Hepatology.

PubMed Articles
Effects of Ginkgo biloba on Diseases Related to Oxidative Stress.
Planta Med 2020.
Hyponatremia-Inducing Drugs.
Front Horm Res 2019;52():167-177.
View More

Results provided by: PubMed

Advertisement
CME/MOC Activity Requires Users to be Registered and Logged In.
Sign in below to access your subscription for full content
INDIVIDUAL SIGN IN
Sign In|Set Up Account
You will be directed to acponline.org to register and create your Annals account
Annals of Internal Medicine
CREATE YOUR FREE ACCOUNT
Create Your Free Account|Why?
To receive access to the full text of freely available articles, alerts, and more. You will be directed to acponline.org to complete your registration.
×
The Comments Feature Requires Users to be Registered and Logged In.
Sign in below to access your subscription for full content
INDIVIDUAL SIGN IN
Sign In|Set Up Account
You will be directed to acponline.org to register and create your Annals account
Annals of Internal Medicine
CREATE YOUR FREE ACCOUNT
Create Your Free Account|Why?
To receive access to the full text of freely available articles, alerts, and more. You will be directed to acponline.org to complete your registration.
×
link to top

Content

  • Home
  • Latest
  • Issues
  • Channels
  • CME/MOC
  • In the Clinic
  • Journal Club
  • Web Exclusives

Information For

  • Author Info
  • Reviewers
  • Press
  • Readers
  • Institutions / Libraries / Agencies
  • Advertisers

Services

  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Alerts
  • Current Issue RSS
  • Latest RSS
  • In the Clinic RSS
  • Reprints & Permissions
  • Contact Us
  • Help
  • About Annals
  • About Mobile
  • Patient Information
  • Teaching Tools
  • Annals in the News
  • Share Your Feedback

Awards and Cover

  • Personae (Cover Photo)
  • Junior Investigator Awards
  • Poetry Prize

Other Resources

  • ACP Online
  • Career Connection
  • ACP Advocate Blog
  • ACP Journal Wise

Follow Annals On

  • Twitter Link
  • Facebook Link
acp link acp
silverchair link silverchair

Copyright © 2020 American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.

Print ISSN: 0003-4819 | Online ISSN: 1539-3704

Privacy Policy

|

Conditions of Use

This site uses cookies. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our privacy policy. | Accept
×

You need a subscription to this content to use this feature.

×
PDF Downloads Require Access to the Full Article.
Sign in below to access your subscription for full content
INDIVIDUAL SIGN IN
Sign In|Set Up Account
You will be directed to acponline.org to register and create your Annals account
INSTITUTIONAL SIGN IN
Open Athens|Shibboleth|Log In
Annals of Internal Medicine
PURCHASE OPTIONS
Buy This Article|Subscribe
You will be redirected to acponline.org to sign-in to Annals to complete your purchase.
CREATE YOUR FREE ACCOUNT
Create Your Free Account|Why?
To receive access to the full text of freely available articles, alerts, and more. You will be directed to acponline.org to complete your registration.
×
Access to this Free Content Requires Users to be Registered and Logged In. Please Choose One of the Following Options
Sign in below to access your subscription for full content
INDIVIDUAL SIGN IN
Sign In|Set Up Account
You will be directed to acponline.org to register and create your Annals account
Annals of Internal Medicine
CREATE YOUR FREE ACCOUNT
Create Your Free Account|Why?
To receive access to the full text of freely available articles, alerts, and more. You will be directed to acponline.org to complete your registration.
×