Actos-Pioglitazone
Why
is this drug prescribed?
Actos is used to control high blood sugar in type 2 diabetes. This
form of the illness usually stems from the body's inability to make
good use of insulin, the natural hormone that helps to transfer sugar
out of the blood and into the cells, where it's converted to energy.
Actos works by improving the body's response to its natural supply
of insulin, rather than increasing its insulin output. Actos also
reduces the production of unneeded sugar in the liver.
Actos (and the similar drug Avandia) can be used alone or in combination with insulin injections or other oral diabetes medications such as DiaBeta, Micronase, Glucotrol, or Glucophage
How
should I take pioglitazone?
• Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you.
Do not take the medication in larger or smaller amounts, or take it
for longer than recommended by your doctor. Your doctor may occasionally
change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this medication.
• Pioglitazone is usually taken once daily. You may take the
medicine with or without food.
• Pioglitazone is only part of a complete program of treatment
that also includes diet, exercise, and weight control. Your doctor
may also recommend other medicines to treat your diabetes.
• It is important to use this medicine regularly to get the
most benefit. Get your prescription refilled before you run out of
medicine completely.
• To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your
blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Your liver function
may also need to be tested, and you may need regular eye exams. It
is important that you not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.
• Your medication needs may change if you become sick or injured,
if you have a serious infection, or if you have any type of surgery.
Your doctor may want you to stop taking pioglitazone for a short time
if any of these situations affect you.
• Take care not to let your blood sugar get too low, causing
hypoglycemia. You may have hypoglycemia if you skip a meal, exercise
too long, drink alcohol, or are under stress.
• Know the signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and how to
recognize them:
· hunger, headache, confusion, irritability;
· drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, tremors;
· sweating, fast heartbeat;
· seizure (convulsions); or
· fainting, coma (severe hypoglycemia can be fatal).
• Always keep a source of sugar available in case you have symptoms
of low blood sugar. Sugar sources include orange juice, glucose gel,
candy, or milk. If you have severe hypoglycemia and cannot eat or
drink, use an injection of glucagon. Your doctor can give you a prescription
for a glucagon emergency injection kit and tell you how to give the
injection.
• Store pioglitazone at room temperature away from moisture,
heat, and light.
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What
drug(s) may interact with pioglitazone?
•birth control pills or other hormonal methods of birth control
•bosentan
•itraconazole
•ketoconazole
•midazolam
•nifedipine
•other medicines for diabetes, including insulin
•topiramate
Many
medications may cause changes (increase or decrease) in blood sugar,
these include:
•alcohol containing beverages
•angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors),
often used for high blood pressure or heart problems (examples: captopril,
enalapril, lisinopril)
•antiretroviral protease inhibitors (examples: indinavir, ritonavir,
saquinavir)
•aspirin and aspirin-like drugs
•baclofen
•beta-blockers, often used for high blood pressure or heart
problems (examples include atenolol, metoprolol, propranolol)
•certain medicines used for mental depression, emotional, or
psychotic disturbances
•chromium
•cisapride
•clonidine
•cyclosporine
•diazoxide
•disopyramide
•epinephrine
•female hormones, such as estrogens or progestins, birth control
pills
•fibric acid derivatives, used to treat high cholesterol (examples:
fenofibrate and gemfibrozil)
•glucagon
•growth hormone (somatropin)
•guanethidine
•isoniazid
•lithium
•metoclopramide
•male hormones or anabolic steroids
•medications to suppress appetite or for weight loss
•medicines for allergies, asthma, cold, or cough
•niacin
•nicotine (including nicotine found in patches and gum)
•octreotide
•pentamidine
•phenytoin
•quinolone antibiotics (examples: ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin,
ofloxacin)
•some herbal dietary supplements
•steroid medicines such as prednisone or cortisone
•sulfonamides, medicines for infection (examples: Azulfidine®,
Bactrim®, Gantrisin® Septra®)
•tacrolimus
•tegaserod
•thyroid hormones
•water pills (diuretics)
Tell
your prescriber or health care professional about all other medicines
you are taking, including non-prescription medicines, nutritional
supplements, or herbal products. Also tell your prescriber or health
care professional if you are a frequent user of drinks with caffeine
or alcohol, if you smoke, or if you use illegal drugs. These may affect
the way your medicine works. Check with your health care professional
before stopping or starting any of your medicines.
Side Effects of This Medicine
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted
effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they
do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
More
common
Chest pain; decreased urine output; dilated neck veins; extreme fatigue
; irregular breathing; irregular heartbeat; problems with teeth; shortness
of breath; swelling of face, fingers, feet, or lower legs; tightness
in chest ; troubled breathing; weight gain; wheezing
Less common
Swelling
Incidence unknown
Unexplained, rapid weight gain
Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention.
These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts
to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following
side effects continue or are bothersome:
More
common
Blurred vision; cough ; dry mouth; fatigue; flushed, dry skin; fruit
like breath odor; headache; increased hunger; increased thirst; increased
urination; loss of consciousness; muscle soreness; nausea; runny or
stuffy nose; sore throat; stomachache; sweating; troubled breathing;
unexplained weight loss; vomiting
Less common
Pale skin; trouble breathing with activity ; unusual bleeding or bruising;
unusual tiredness or weakness
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients.
If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.
We will not be held responsible for misuse of prescription drugs or misinformation on this website. Please check with your health care professional for all pertinent information on prescription medications before using them.
