Actos

Generic name: Pioglitazone

Pioglitazone tablets

What are pioglitazone tablets?

PIOGLITAZONE (Actos.) helps to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. Pioglitazone helps your body to use insulin more efficiently and helps to lower high blood sugar.

What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

• heart problems
• kidney or liver problems
• swelling of the arms, legs, or feet
• an unusual or allergic reaction to pioglitazone, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
• pregnant or trying to get pregnant
• breast-feeding

How should I take this medicine?

Take pioglitazone tablets by mouth. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Swallow the tablets with a drink of water with meals. Take your doses at the same time each day; do not take more often than directed.

Contact your pediatrician or health care professional regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it with the next meal. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses.

What drug(s) may interact with pioglitazone?

• atorvastatin
• 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.

What side effects may I notice from taking pioglitazone?

Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible:

• anxiety or nervousness, confusion, difficulty concentrating
• blurred vision
• breathing problems such as rapid, deep breathing or difficulty breathing with activity
• cold sweats, increased sweating
• cool, pale skin
• dark yellow or brown urine, or yellowing of the eyes or skin
• diarrhea
• drowsiness
• muscle pain
• nausea, vomiting
• skin rash or hives
• slow heartbeat
• tremors or shakiness
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• swelling of the hands, legs, and/or feet

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your prescriber or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):

• headache
• weight gain

What should I watch for while taking pioglitazone?

Visit your prescriber or health care professional for regular checks on your progress. Learn how to monitor blood or urine sugar and urine ketones regularly. Check with your prescriber or health care professional if your blood sugar is high, you may need a change of dose of pioglitazone. Do not skip meals. If you are exercising much more than usual you may need extra snacks to avoid side effects caused by low blood sugar. If you have mild symptoms of low blood sugar, eat or drink something containing sugar at once and contact your prescriber or health care professional. It is wise to check your blood sugar to confirm that it is low. It is important to recognize your own symptoms of low blood sugar so that you can treat them quickly. Make sure family members know that you can choke if you eat or drink when you have serious symptoms of low blood sugar, such as seizures or unconsciousness. They must get medical help at once.

Your health care professional will have to check blood tests regularly to assess the effect of this medication on your liver. Pioglitazone may rarely cause changes in some of these measurements.

If you are going to have surgery, tell your prescriber or health care professional that you are taking pioglitazone.

Wear a medical identification bracelet or chain to say you have diabetes, and carry a card that lists all your medications.

Where can I keep my medicine?

Keep out of the reach of children in a container that small children cannot open.

Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F). Keep container tightly closed and protect from moisture and humidity. Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date.

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.