Lynn Larowe | Texarkana Gazette

A widely prescribed diabetes medication is blamed for heart problems suffered by an Arkansas resident, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court in the Western District of Arkansas.
Avandia, a prescription drug for Type II diabetes manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, caused cardiac difficulties in Jimmy Mason, the suit alleges. Mason is asking for compensatory and punitive damages as well as attorney fees and court costs.
Avandia was approved to treat Type II diabetes in 1999. The disease, which occurs when the body doesn't produce enough insulin, afflicts roughly 18 million Americans and millions more worldwide.
Avandia is designed to treat patients suffering from Type II diabetes by helping sensitize the body's cells to insulin, a substance necessary for the metabolization of sugar.
Studies are showing that the drug may also increase a patient's risk of developing heart trouble. Simply having diabetes means a person is predisposed to cardiac difficulties, studies show.