The FDA approved Actos, for diabetes in 1999 with four therapy indications: monotherapy, in combination with metformin or sulphonylureas, and with insulin. Actos does not cause the body to release more insulin, eliminating the risk of hypoglycemia when taken alone. Actos for diabetes was also found to decrease the level of triglycerides while increasing HDL cholesterol levels when used in monotherapy and with other drugs. High levels of triglycerides and low levels of HDL are leading factors in the development of heart disease, of which diabetics are particularly susceptible. In clinical studies prior to Actos’s release found that 45 mg of Actos given daily lowered blood sugar, in patients who were not previously on diabetes medication, by 63.7 mg/dL compared baseline. Reduction of A1C levels after two to four weeks was as much as 1.9% with a 2.6% when compared to a placebo. Side effects reported during clinical trials were upper respiratory tract infection, headache, sinusitis, muscle pain, tooth disorder, and sore throat with some individuals reporting weight gain and rare cases of edema.
How to Take to Actos for Diabetes
Actos is taken once a day with or without food. Doctors should check patients liver function before prescribing Actos, at two-month intervals for the first year of treatment, and periodically thereafter. When used in conjunction with other medications caution should be exercised as insulin and sulphonylureas can cause hypoglycemia. Indications of this condition are fasting blood glucose below 100 mg/dL and symptoms such as shakiness, dizziness, sweating, and confusion. The necessity of other medications is dependent on the patient and is not an indicator of a worsening diabetic condition. If you forget to take a dose of Actos take it that same day when you remember. If you forget for an entire day do not double your dose the following day.
Special Risks of Actos for Diabetes
Medications similar to Actos have been found to decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives (birth control pills) and increase the risk of pregnancy in premenopausal women. Women should discuss alternate forms of birth control with their doctor to reduce risk of pregnancy. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should speak with their doctor immediately as the safety of Actos for pregnant and nursing women has not been established. In May of 2011 another drug in the Thiazolidinediones family, Avandia (rosiglitazone), was taken off the market after it was found to have links with heart attacks. In 2011 the FDA released a warning that patients taking Actos for more than a year may be at an increased risk of bladder cancer. Since, the precautions label has been edited to reflect the risk.
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