Older patients, who take Avandia, run an elevated risk of death, heart failure, and stroke, than patients who take Actos, which is a similar diabetes drug, a new study finds.

It is far from the foremost study to address Avandia safety, but it's undoubtedly, the biggest till date, says FDA Researcher and Study Leader, David J. Graham, MD, MPH.

The study assesses Medicare records for 227,571 patient, s who initially had begun their treatment with Avandia or Actos between July 2006 and June 2009. The standard age of patients in the study was 74.4.

The study depicts quite clearly that Avandia is less safe than Actos in things that actually matter, things that will push you to get admitted to the hospital or land you in the burial ground, Graham tells WebMD.

If you are a doctor, there is no possible reason why you should carry on prescribing Avandia. There are safer options from which you can choose your pick.

The drug, which is also known by its generic name rosiglitazone, was given approval in 1999 to help people suffering from Type 2 diabetes.