FDA: Two diabetes drugs may be linked to heart failure risk

(HealthDay)—Diabetes drugs containing saxagliptin and alogliptin may raise the risk of heart failure, particularly in patients with heart or kidney disease, U.S. health officials warned Tuesday.

Drugs containing these ingredients are Onglyza (saxagliptin), Kombiglyze XR (saxagliptin and metformin extended release), Nesina (alogliptin), Kazano (alogliptin and metformin) and Oseni (alogliptin and pioglitazone), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.
People with type 2 diabetes who use these drugs should not stop taking them without consulting with their doctor, the FDA said.
The agency added that patients on these drugs should contact their doctor if they develop signs and symptoms of heart failure, including:

• Unusual shortness of breath during daily activities.
  
• Difficulty breathing when lying down.
  
• Tiredness, weakness or fatigue.
  
• Weight gain with swelling of the ankles, feet, legs or stomach.
  

The FDA said it's adding new warnings to the drug labels about these safety concerns.
Both saxagliptin and alogliptin are in a class of drugs called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, which along with diet and exercise are used to try to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
The FDA said its warning was based on results of two large trials done involving patients with heart disease. Both trials found that more patients taking drugs containing saxagliptin or alogliptin were hospitalized for heart failure than patients receiving a placebo.

Full story here:  http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-04-fda-diabetes-drugs-linked-heart.html?

I wonder if the effect is additive with statins also increasing the risk of heart failure, or if it is multiplied, considering most diabetics are also on statins.