Two new studies could spell the end for the controversial type 2 diabetes drug, rosiglitazone (Avandia), which previous research has linked to heart problems. The new studies released Monday found that Avandia increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and death, and lend further support to our recommendation in our Best Buy Drugs report that you should avoid the drug if possible.

In the first study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a team of researchers led by David Graham, MD, of the Food and Drug Administration, analyzed Medicare records of more than 227,000 people 65 or older who took either Avandia or another diabetes drug, pioglitazone (Actos). They found that those who were on Avandia had an increased risk of stroke, heart failure and death.

In the second study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Steven Nissen, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic, updated his 2007 meta-analysis (an analysis that includes results of several studies) of Avandia. The new analysis, which included 14 additional studies on top of the 42 that made up the original meta-analysis, confirmed his previous finding that Avandia increases the risk of heart attacks.