Duetact Side Effects

Serious Adverse Side Effects

Duetact | Pioglitazone Hydrochloride And Glimepiride has many serious adverse side effects associated with it, such as:

Cardiovascular side effects like heart failure
Hepatic side effects like hepatotoxicity, or chemically-driven liver damage
Renal side effects like tumors of the bladder
Respiratory side effects like pneumonia

Common Adverse Side Effects

Duetact | Pioglitazone Hydrochloride And Glimepiride has more common and less severe adverse side effects associated with it, such as:

Cardiovascular side effects like edema (swelling), and edema of lower extremities
Endocrine metabolic side effects like hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and weight gain
Gastrointestinal side effects like diarrhea and nausea
Musculoskeletal side effects like pain in the limbs
Neurological side effects like headache
Renal side effects like urinary tract infections
Respiratory side effects like upper respiratory infections

Warnings & Recalls for Duetact

Black Box Warning

The pioglitazone hydrochloride component of Duetact | Pioglitazone Hydrochloride And Glimepiride, may cause or worsen congestive heart failure. Patients should be monitored for signs and symptoms of heart failure after starting this drug. Duetact | Pioglitazone Hydrochloride And Glimepiride is not recommended for patients with symptomatic heart failure.

Contraindications

Duetact | Pioglitazone Hydrochloride And Glimepiride has contraindications such as:

Heart failure
Hypersensitivity to pioglitazone or glimepiride
Diabetic ketoacidosis (with or without coma)

Who Should Not Take This Drug

Duetact | Pioglitazone Hydrochloride And Glimepiride should never be taken by the following patients with these preexisting conditions:

Patients with congestive heart failure
Patients with active bladder cancer
Patients with cardiovascular mortality risks
Female patients are at an increased risk of bone fracture
Patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiencies
Patients who drink alcohol or take more than one glucose-lowering agents are at an increased risk of hypoglycemia if they were to take this drug
Patients with liver disease
Female patients who are premenopausal are at increased risk of pregnancy
Prolonged use of this drug is not recommended
Patients undergoing surgery, fever, trauma or infections
Patients with type 1 diabetes
Those who are taking leflunomide, gatifloxacin or teriflunomide.

Pregnancy Warning

Duetact | Pioglitazone Hydrochloride And Glimepiride has been given a pregnancy category rating of “C” by the FDA. Both glimepiride and pioglitazone hydrochloride have been given grades of “C”.

Duetact Treatment and Use

Duetact | Pioglitazone Hydrochloride And Glimepiride is a drug that treats diabetes mellitus. A new synthesis of the popular and controversial Actos drug, Duetact | Pioglitazone Hydrochloride And Glimepiride is a combination of 30mg of pioglitazone and either 2 or 4mg of glimepiride. This drug is a prescription used with both diet and exercise to improve blood sugar (glucose) control in adults with diabetes mellitus. As such, this drug has not been tested for efficacy and safety in children or adolescents.

How This Drug Works

The fixed dose of pioglitazone and glimepiride is an anti-hypoglycemic synthesis made into Duetact | Pioglitazone Hydrochloride And Glimepiride. These two agents act differently to achieve glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus. Pioglitazone hydrochloride is a member of thiazolidinedione class, which are known to be insulin-sensitizing agents working primarily by improving the utilization of peripheral glucose. Glimepiride is acknowledged to lower blood glucose in patients with diabetes mellitus by the stimulation of the release of insulin from pancreatic beta cells which are functioning. It also produces an increase in the sensitivity of peripheral tissues to insulin via extra-pancreatic mechanisms.

Dosage Information

The dosage of Duetact | Pioglitazone Hydrochloride And Glimepiride in anti-hypoglycemic therapy for the management of diabetes mellitus should be individualized in each patient on the basis of both tolerance and effectiveness. Failure to follow the appropriate guidelines for this drug can precipitate hypoglycemia. In elderly, malnourished or debilitated patients with diabetes mellitus or in patients with hepatic or renal insufficiencies, the initial doses of this drug should be as conservative as possible to avoid instances of hypoglycemia.

For patients already on glimepiride, this drug should be initiated at 30mg/2mg or 30mg/4mg tablets once daily and then adjusted after an assessment
For patients already on pioglitazone, this drug should be initiated at 30mg/4mg tablets once daily and then adjusted after an assessment