Health Centres - Actos (pioglitazone)
How does it work?
Actos tablets contain the active ingredient pioglitazone hydrochloride, which is a type of medicine called a thiazolidinedione or glitazone. It is used to help control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
People with diabetes have a deficiency or absence of a hormone produced by the pancreas called insulin. Insulin is the main hormone responsible for the control of sugar in the blood. In type 2 diabetes the pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin and the cells of the body are resistant to the low levels of insulin circulating in the blood. Insulin would normally make the cells remove sugar from the blood, hence in type 2 diabetes blood sugar levels can rise too high.
Pioglitazone helps to lower blood glucose levels by increasing the sensitivity of liver, fat and muscle cells, to insulin. This enables the cells to remove glucose from the blood more effectively. Pioglitazone also reduces the amount of glucose produced by the liver, and preserves the functioning of the cells in the pancreas (beta cells) that produce insulin. The overall effect of this medicine is therefore to help the body control blood sugar levels and prevent them becoming too high.
What is it used for?
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Type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes.
Pioglitazone can be used on its own to treat people with type 2 diabetes, particularly overweight people, whose blood sugar is not sufficiently controlled by diet and exercise alone, and who cannot take metformin. (Metformin is the standard first-line medicine for overweight people with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled by diet.)
Pioglitazone can also be used in combination with metformin or another type of antidiabetic medicine known as a sulphonylurea, eg gliclazide, or both, for people with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar is not controlled by the maximum doses of these medicines.
It can also be used in combination with insulin for type 2 diabetics whose blood sugar is not sufficiently controlled by insulin and who cannot take metformin.
Warning!
- This medicine can cause weight gain. You should stick to a calorie controlled diet and monitor your weight closely. Consult your doctor if you put on weight.
- This medicine may rarely cause fluid retention that may cause heart failure. For this reason you should consult your doctor immediately if you experience shortness of breath, swollen ankles, or rapid and excessive weight gain (which may be due to fluid retention) while taking this medicine.
- If you notice any problems with your eyesight while taking this medicine, in particular any new or worsening problems with blurred vision or seeing fine detail, you should let your doctor know. You may need to have an eye test.
- Your liver function should be monitored regularly while you are taking this medicine.
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