Actos (pioglitazone)

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

You should tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are using before you start treatment with this medicine. This includes those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines. Likewise, check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting any new medicines while you are taking this medicine, to ensure that the combination is safe.

There may be an increased risk of heart failure if this medicine is used in combination with insulin. If you are taking this medicine in combination with insulin it is important to let your doctor know if you experience any shortness of breath, weight gain or swelling, particularly of the ankles.

There may be an increased risk of fluid retention (oedema or swelling) if non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as diclofenac or ibuprofen are taken with this medicine.

If this medicine is added to treatment with insulin or a sulphonylurea medicine, eg gliclazide, it may increase the chance of your blood sugar falling too low (hypoglycaemia). If this is the case, your doctor may need to adjust the doses of your medicines.

Gemfibrozil may increase the amount of pioglitazone in the blood. As this could increase the chance of side effects, you should let your doctor know if you get any new or increased side effects if you start taking gemfibrozil with this medicine. Your doctor may want you to monitor your blood sugar more frequently and may need to decrease your pioglitazone dose.

The antibiotic rifampicin may decrease the amount of this medicine in your blood and could make it less effective. Your doctor may want you to monitor your blood sugar more frequently if you are prescribed rifampicin and may need to increase your pioglitazone dose.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredient

There are currently no other medicines available in the UK that contain pioglitazone on its own.

Competact contains pioglitazone in combination with metformin.

<<Go To Page 1

The documents contained in this web site are presented for information purposes only. The material is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. The materials in this web site cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment. Conditions for use



© Copyright 1998 - 2004 NetDoctor.co.uk - All rights reserved