Although rising numbers of men are being prescribed testosterone replacement therapy for the heavily marketed condition of low testosterone (or "low T"), recent research indicates these drugs are associated with a heightened risk of heart attack, stroke and other health complications. The makers of these treatments likewise face increasing lawsuits on behalf of men who suffered adverse effects after using testosterone products.
The consumer class action attorneys at Golomb Legal, P.C. are investigating claims related to testosterone replacement therapy. If you or a family member suffered cardiac problems after beginning prescription testosterone treatment, please call (215) 985-9177 for your free case review. Based in Philadelphia, our lawyers welcome clients from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and nationwide.
Late last month, the consumer watchdog Public Citizen asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to add a so-called "black box" warning to all testosterone medications about an increased risk for heart attacks and other cardiovascular complications. The FDA is currently reviewing AndroGel and other testosterone replacement products as mounting evidence links the medications to life-threatening heart problems.
In November 2013, The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study that associated testosterone therapy to an increased risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) and stroke. Additional research dating to 2010 and a review of data going back 20 years suggest the same link.
As Public Citizen points out, 13 studies of testosterone treatment funded by the drug industry showed no increased risk of heart problems, but 14 studies that were not funded by pharmaceutical makers indicated a significantly heightened risk of cardiovascular side-effects. The study in JAMA found that men without a history of heart disease were almost 30 percent more likely to die from heart attack or stroke after testosterone replacement therapy.