A new study has found that patients who took Avandia were more likely to die or be hospitalized for heart problems than patients who were prescribed another diabetes drug. The study was published in the British Medical Journal and funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

In the study, researchers analyzed health records for nearly 40,000 patients in Canada who were prescribed either Avandia or Actos over a six-year period. The study found that 6.9% of patients who were prescribed Avandia died or were hospitalized for a heart attack or heart failure. Only 5.3% of Actos users experienced similar treatment outcomes.

Researchers in the study said that based on the increased side effects risk observed among Avandia patients and the absence of improved health benefits when compared to Actos, it may be questionable whether doctors should continue prescribing Avandia to patients.

Serious concerns about the safety of Avandia first arose in May 2007 as a result of a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study found that Avandia users were 64% more likely to die of heart problems and 43% more likely to suffer a heart attack than patients taking a placebo.