Pioglitazone 15mg

Pioglitazone, Actos
Description: Antidiabetic Agent; Thiazolidinedione

“ALERT: US Boxed Warning

Congestive heart failure:
Thiazolidinediones, including pioglitazone, can cause or exacerbate congestive heart failure (CHF) in some patients. After initiation of pioglitazone, and after dose increases, observe patients carefully for signs and symptoms of heart failure (including excessive, rapid weight gain, dyspnea, and/or edema). If these signs and symptoms develop, manage the heart failure according to the current standards of care. Furthermore, discontinuation or dose reduction of pioglitazone must be considered.

Pioglitazone is not recommended in patients with symptomatic heart failure. Initiation of pioglitazone in patients with established New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV heart failure is contraindicated.”

CSA NA – FDA Approved – REMS (N) – Can Ship

Pioglitazone, Actos is a thiazolidinedione antidiabetic agent that lowers blood glucose by improving insulin sensitivity without increasing pancreatic insulin secretion, however its mechanism is dependent on the presence of insulin for activity.  It is a potent and selective agonist for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma). Activation of PPARgamma receptors in the cell nucleus influences the production of a proteins involved in glucose and lipid metabolism. PPARgamma is abundant in the cells within the renal collecting tubules and fluid retention results from stimulation by thiazolidinediones which increases sodium reabsorption.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

Before starting Pioglitazone, Actos make sure your physician is aware of any allergies, medications you currently take, if you have heart failure, liver disease, bladder cancer, if you have had bariatric surgery, have diabetes mellitus type 1, are pregnant, or breastfeeding.  Pioglitazone use has been associated with rare but serious adverse events including bladder cancer, edema, increased risk of fractures, cardiac effects, hematologic effects, hepatotoxicity, hypoglycemia, macular edema, and weight gain.

Oral: 15 to 45 mg once daily.

How to Take: Follow instructions provided by physician/pharmacy label, take consistently at same time each day with or without food unless otherwise directed, store at room temperature.

Edema, hypoglycemia, respiratory tract infection, heart failure exacerbation, headache

Note this is not a complete list of side effects, only common ones

1. What is hypoglycemia?
   Hypoglycemia is a condition of low blood sugar (>3.9mmol/L-Canada; 70mg/dL-US) which is considered a medical emergency whereas hyperglycemia is a slow progressive condition.  It generally occurs with irregularities in diet, exercise, and medications in diabetic patients.  It is preferably treated with simple sugars such as dextrose; regular table sugar can work but is slower acting as it needs to be digested and if blood sugar is extremely low this delay can be a problem.  Hypoglycemia has a large host of progressive symptoms from hunger, headache, nausea, sweating, palpitations, mood swings, irritability to seizure, coma and in severe cases, death.