What is the most important information I should know about Actos?
Do not use pioglitazone if you have type 1 diabetes, or if you are in a state of diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment with insulin).
Usually, liver function is monitored with blood tests at the start of treatment, every two months for the first year of treatment, and periodically thereafter during treatment with pioglitazone. Notify your doctor immediately if you develop nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, unusual fatigue, loss of appetite, yellow skin or eyes, or dark urine. These symptoms may be early signs of liver problems.
Notify your doctor immediately if you experience an unusually rapid increase in weight or edema (water retention), shortness of breath, or chest pain during treatment with pioglitazone. These may be early symptoms of heart problems.
Pioglitazone usually does not cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). However, hypoglycemia may occur as a result of skipped meals, excessive exercise, or alcohol consumption while taking pioglitazone. Know the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia, which include:
- headache,
- drowsiness,
- weakness,
- dizziness,
- fast heartbeat,
- sweating,
- tremor, and nausea.
Carry non-dietetic hard candy or glucose tablets with you to treat episodes of low blood sugar.
Pioglitazone may decrease the effects of some birth control pills. Additional measures may be necessary to prevent pregnancy while taking pioglitazone. Talk to your doctor about the use of birth control.
What should I discuss with my doctor before taking Actos?
Do not take pioglitazone without first talking to your doctor if you have liver disease.
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you
- have heart failure or heart disease;
- have edema (water retention or swelling);
- have type 1 diabetes mellitus;
- have a serious infection, illness, or injury; or
- need surgery.
You may not be able to take pioglitazone, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.
Contact your doctor if you develop a fever or an infection, require surgery, or if you experience a serious injury. Illness or injury may cause a loss of blood sugar control and insulin (or an adjustment of a current insulin dose) may be required for a period of time.
Treatment with pioglitazone may cause resumption of fertility by allowing for the return of ovulation (production of eggs) in certain women with insulin resistance who were not ovulating before treatment with pioglitazone. Talk to your doctor about adequate forms of birth control while taking pioglitazone if birth control is desired.
Pioglitazone is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether pioglitazone will be harmful to an unborn baby. Generally, insulin is the drug of choice for controlling diabetes during pregnancy. Do not take pioglitazone without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether pioglitazone passes into breast milk. Do not take pioglitazone without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
The safety and effectiveness of pioglitazone have not been established for children.
Product Description
More information about ACTOS (Pioglitazone):
Actos Benefits Recent Heart-Attack Patients with Diabetes
Actos found to improve glucose control and lipid profiles
Takeda Revises Actos (pioglitazone HCl) Prescribing Label
New Analyses Show Actos Reduced Risk of Secondary Stroke by Almost 50 Percent
ACTOS (Pioglitazone) Combination Therapy
Termination of Development of Fixed Dose Combination Product of Actos + TAK-536
Takeda Wins Patent Infringement Litigation on Appeal Against ANDA Filers for Generic Actos
Diabetes Drugs Increase Risk of Heart Failure, Research Shows
To buy ACTOS click HERE: My Family Drugstore
Tags: Actos (Pioglitazone), Conditions & Treatments, Medications, Type 2 Diabetes
This is an excellent article (), I was searching for Pregnancy Information on Yahoo and stumbled on this Monday.