PIOGLITAZONE (ORAL)

(PYE o GLIT a zone) Brand: Actos

What is the most significant information I must know about pioglitazone?

• You must not use this medication if you have severe or uncontrolled heart failure, or if you have bladder cancer. Do not use this medication if you are in a state of diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment with insulin). Pioglitazone is not for treating type 1 diabetes.

• Pioglitazone can reason or worsen congestive heart failure. Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have shortness of breath (even with mild exertion), swelling, or rapid weight gain.

What is pioglitazone?

• Pioglitazone is an oral diabetes medication that helps control blood sugar levels.

• Pioglitazone is for people with type 2 diabetes. Pioglitazone is not for treating type 1 diabetes.

• Pioglitazone may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking pioglitazone?

• You must not use pioglitazone if you are allergic to it, or if you have severe or uncontrolled heart failure, or bladder cancer. Do not use pioglitazone if you are in a state of diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment with insulin).

• To create certain pioglitazone is safety for you, speak your doctor if you have:

· congestive heart failure or heart disease;

· fluid retention;

· a history of bladder cancer;

· a history of heart onslaught or stroke; or

· liver disease.

• Taking pioglitazone may magnify your risk of serious heart problems. However, not treating your diabetes can hurt your heart and another organs. Conversation to your doctor about the risks and benefits of treating your diabetes with pioglitazone.

• This medicine may magnify your risk of developing bladder cancer. Conversation with your doctor about your specific risk.

• Women may be more likely than men to have bone fractures in the upper hand, arm, or foot while taking pioglitazone. Conversation with your doctor if you are concerned about this possibility.

• FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether pioglitazone will harm an unborn child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.

• Some women using pioglitazone have started having menstrual periods, even after not having a period for a long time due to a medical condition. You may be able to get pregnant if your periods restart. Conversation with your doctor about the need for birth control.

• It is not known whether pioglitazone passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing child. You must not breast-feed while using this medicine.

How must I take pioglitazone?

• Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your doze to create certain you get the excellent results. Do not take this medication in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended.

• Pioglitazone is generally taken once daily. You may take the medication with or without food.

• Your blood sugar will need to be checked often, and you may need another blood trials at your doctor's office.

• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can happen to everyone who has diabetes. Symptoms include headache, famine, sweating, pale skin, irritability, dizziness, feeling shaky, or trouble concentrating. Always hold a source of sugar with you in case you have low blood sugar. Sugar sources include fruit juice, heavy candy, crackers, raisins, and non-diet soda. Be certain your family and close friends know how to help you in an emergency.

• If you have severe hypoglycemia and can't ate or drink, use a glucagon injection. Your doctor can prescribe a glucagon abnormal injection kit and speak you how to use it.

• Check your blood sugar carefully during times of stress, travel, diseases, surgery or medical abnormal, vigorous exercice, or if you drink alcohol or skip meals. These things can affect your glucose levels and your doze needs may also change. Do not change your medicine doze or schedule without your doctor's advice.

• Use pioglitazone regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled till you run out of medication completely.

• Pioglitazone is only part of a treatment program that may also include diet, exercice, weight control, blood sugar testing, and particular medical care. Follow your doctor's instructions very closely.

• Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and easy. Hold the bottle tightly closed when not in use.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. You may have signs of low blood sugar, such as extreme weakness, blurred vision, sweating, trouble speaking, tremors, stomach pain, confusion, and seizure (convulsions).

What must I avoid while taking pioglitazone?

• Avoid drinking alcohol. It lowers blood sugar and may interfere with your diabetes treatment.

What are the possible side effects of pioglitazone?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Stop using pioglitazone and call your doctor at once if you have symptoms of liver damage: nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

• Call your doctor at once if you have:

· shortness of breath (even with mild exertion), swelling, rapid weight gain;

· pink or red urine, painful or difficult urination, urinating more than usual;

· changes in your vision; or

· sudden unusual pain in your arm, hand, or foot.

• General side effects may include:

· headache;

· muscle pain; or

· cool symptoms such as stuffy nose, sinus pain, sneezing, sore throat.

• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect pioglitazone?

• Speak your doctor if you use insulin. Taking pioglitazone while you are using insulin may magnify your risk of serious heart problems.

• Speak your doctor about all medicines you use, and those you start or stop using during your treatment with pioglitazone, especially:

· gemfibrozil;

· rifampin; or

· another oral diabetes medications, such as acetohexamide, chlorpropamide, glimepiride, glipizide, tolbutamide.

• This list is not complete and much another medicines may magnify or decrease the effects of pioglitazone on lowering your blood sugar. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal commodity. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medicine manual.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about pioglitazone.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.