Actemra is a medication used to treat asthma and prevent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Common side effects include cough, wheezing, chest tightness, nausea or vomiting. Actemra can also cause heart palpitations in some people and increase the risk of arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation.,
Actemra is a drug that is used to treat asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other lung diseases. It is a combination of corticosteroids and long-acting beta2-agonists. Side effects of Actemra include heart and lung problems.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune illness that causes joint stiffness, pain, and swelling. Roche’s Actemra (tocilizumab) is used to treat it.
Actemra is a competitor to arthritis drugs like Enbrel, Humira, and Remicade. While these treatments may help with rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, they can also cause dangerous adverse effects such as heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and lung issues.
Roche may have neglected to warn about the potentially fatal consequences of Actemra on the heart, lungs, and pancreas.
When Actemra was first released in 2010, there were no warning labels for these side effects, causing many people to assume it was a safer option to existing rheumatoid arthritis medications. Thousands of Actemra patients have been injured or even killed since then. The drug’s warning labels, on the other hand, have not been revised to reflect the latest results.
Actemra seems to have the same or greater risks of cardiovascular issues and other disorders than rival medications, according to new evidence. As a result, some people believe Actemra is more harmful than it seems, and that it should come with harsher warnings.
Side Effects of Actemra
Roche neglected to warn about a variety of serious adverse effects associated with Actemra, including:
- Angina pectoris
- Insufficiency of the heart
- Stroke
- Pancreatitis
- Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a kind of lung illness that (lung tissue scarring)
Actemra may also cause the following negative effects:
- Infections
- An increased risk of cancer
- Tears in the intestines or stomach (gastrointestinal perforations)
- Irregular heartbeat/palpitations in the heart
- Impairment of cognition
- Hair loss is a common problem.
- Demyelinating disorders are a kind of demyelinating disease that affect
Millions of people are affected with rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory illness that affects about 1.3 million people in the United States. Unlike osteoarthritis, which is predominantly an age-related condition, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune illness in which the body’s immune system assaults the joints inadvertently.
Rheumatoid arthritis may shorten a person’s life by 10 years.
There is no recognized etiology for rheumatoid arthritis. Genetics, the environment, hormone changes, and lifestyle are all risk factors. Joint discomfort, stiffness, edema, and redness are the most common signs of the condition. Fatigue, malaise, fever, and weight and appetite loss are among secondary symptoms.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a severe disease that is progressing and incurable if left untreated. Patients may feel a loss of mobility and range of motion as joint deterioration increases, as well as difficulties doing basic chores and the incapacity to work.
The hands, feet, wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles are typically affected by rheumatoid arthritis. The illness may also be systemic, affecting the heart, lungs, and other bodily systems. It has the potential to shave 10 years off a person’s life.
What Is Actemra and How Does It Work?
There is a need for advancements in therapy since certain people do not react well to conventional rheumatoid arthritis medications. A variety of new drugs have significantly lowered the disease burden in RA patients throughout the years.
Actemra is one of these new medications. Actemra blocks components of the immune system that promote inflammation, much like other rheumatoid arthritis drugs. Tocilizumab (the active ingredient in Actemra), which targets the interleukin-6 (IL-6) protein, works in a different way than other rheumatoid arthritis drugs. Humira, Enbrel, and Remicade, for example, all target a protein called tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha).
The IL-6 protein is engaged in inflammation and is thought to be implicated in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. Actemra reduces arthritis-related inflammation by preventing IL-6 from attaching to cells.
However, when evidence mounts that Actemra has identical adverse effects to its competition despite no warnings, issues regarding failing to warn arise.
The Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Market
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most prevalent autoimmune illnesses, affecting around 1% of the global population. From the perspective of pharmaceutical corporations, this indicates that treatments for the condition have the potential to be blockbusters.
In 2015, the worldwide rheumatoid arthritis market was valued $19.5 billion, and by 2025, it is expected to be worth about $30 billion. With so much money on the line, pharma companies compete aggressively and are always looking for a marketing advantage.
Pfizer stated last year that Xeljanz, a rheumatoid arthritis medicine, would be the “first and only once-daily oral JAK inhibitor.” Manufacturers are looking for new ways to utilize current pharmaceuticals in addition to developing new ones. Actemra was authorized by the FDA in 2017 to treat giant cell arteritis, a form of vasculitis.
A safer medicine would have a significant commercial advantage since the whole family of pharmaceuticals used to treat rheumatoid arthritis has serious—even life-threatening—potential adverse effects. Doctors and patients were ecstatic when Actemra was released without the usual warnings about major side effects associated with DMARDs.
Thousands of Actemra deaths and injuries are documented in a new report.
According to a STAT News investigation, the FDA received over 13,500 adverse event reports using Actemra between 2010 and 2016, including 1,128 cases of patients who died while taking the medicine.
During this six-year period, STAT looked at reports on serious side effects for leading rheumatoid arthritis drugs and found “clear evidence that the risks of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and other conditions were as high as or higher for Actemra patients than for patients taking some competing drugs.”
Despite the fact that Remicade has a much larger patient population, Actemra users reported greater incidences of interstitial lung disease.
Actemra users, for example, reported more cases of interstitial lung disease than Remicade users and approximately the same proportion as Humira users, despite the fact that the latter two medications were used by much more individuals. Humira and Remicade, unlike Actemra, contain warning labels for interstitial lung disease.
Heart attack and heart failure showed similar findings. Again, Humira and Remicade contain adverse effect warnings, while Actemra does not. There are no pancreatitis warnings on any of the medicine labels. Humira is the only drug that comes with a stroke warning.
For their investigation, STAT talked with specialists who suggested the FDA should evaluate Actemra warning warnings for heart failure and pancreatitis right now. The specialists stated that the potential relationship between Actemra and an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and interstitial lung disease should be studied further.
Actemra Risks Confirmed by Postmarketing Studies
Despite worries about infections, gastrointestinal perforations, cardiovascular difficulties, and other serious adverse effects, the FDA’s Arthritis Drug Advisory Committee voted ten to one in favor of approving Actemra in 2008.
Diane Aronson, a consumer advocate, was the lone dissenter. A lack of safety data, according to Ms. Aronson, raised “some red lights.” Actemra was given the green light by “yes” voters, according to her, since postmarketing studies would offer greater evidence and warning labels would be added if required.
Postmarketing studies have been conducted, and several of the concerns identified in the STAT study have been verified. Actemra’s warnings, however, have not been enhanced to yet.
Patients who have had a heart attack, heart failure, stroke, pancreatitis, or interstitial lung disease while using Actemra may be entitled for compensation via an Actemra lawsuit. The lawyers at ClassAction.com have the knowledge and resources to handle complicated pharmaceutical disputes, and we are presently looking into the matter.
To share your experience and learn about your legal options, contact us now.
Actemra is a drug that is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. It works by suppressing the immune system which allows the body to heal itself. Actemra may cause side effects such as diarrhea, nausea, headaches, dizziness and rash. Reference: actemra withdrawal symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Actemra cause heart problems?
A: Actemra is a medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. It can cause heart problems, but its very rare. The risk of side effects should be discussed with your doctor before you take the drug as well.
Can Actemra cause heart palpitations?
A: Actemra may cause heart palpitations in rare cases.
Who should not take Actemra?
A: Actemra is not recommended for people with a history of bleeding episodes, hematologic disorders, and recent stomach ulcerations.
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