General Information and Indications:
Rosiglitazone is used along with a diet and
exercise program and sometimes with other medications to treat type 2 (noninsulin
dependent) diabetes. Rosiglitazone is in a class of medications called
thiazolidinediones. It works by increasing the body's sensitivity to
insulin, a natural substance that helps control blood sugar levels.
Rosiglitazone is not used to treat type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes.
Information For Users:
Rosiglitazone comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is
usually taken once or twice daily with or without meals. Take rosiglitazone
at about the same time(s) every day. Follow the directions on your
prescription label, ask your doctor or pharmacist If you have any questions.
Take rosiglitazone exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or
take it more often than prescribed by your health care provider.
Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of rosiglitazone and may
increase your dose after 8–12 weeks, based on your body's response to
rosiglitazone.
Rosiglitazone helps control type 2 diabetes but does not cure it. It may
take 2 weeks for your blood sugar to decrease, and 2–3 months or longer for
you to feel the full benefit of rosiglitazone. Continue taking rosiglitazone
even if you feel well. Do not discontinue taking rosiglitazone without
informing your doctor.
Other uses for this medicine
special precautions:
o Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have
allergy to rosiglitazone or any other medications.
o Inform your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription
medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are
taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: candesartan
(Atacand), felodipine (Lexxel, Plendil), gemfibrozil (Lopid), insulin and
other medications for diabetes,montelukast (Singulair), phenobarbital,
rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane in Rifamate), trimethoprim (in Bactrim, in
Septra, others), and zafirlukast (Accolate). Your doctor may need to change
the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects..
o inform your doctor if you are breast-feeding any type of heart disease
including heart failure or a heart attack; high blood pressure; high
cholesterol or fats in the blood; swelling of the hands, arms, feet, ankles,
or lower legs; diabetic eye disease such as macular edema (swelling of the
back of the eye); type 1 diabetes; diabetic ketoacidosis (a serious
condition that may develop if high blood sugar is not treated in a diabetic
patient); or liver disease. Also Inform your doctor if you have ever taken
troglitazone (Rezulin, no longer available in the United States), especially
if you stopped taking it because you experienced side effects.
o Inform your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. If you
become pregnant while taking rosiglitazone, call your doctor. Do not
breastfeed while you are taking rosiglitazone.
o if you have not yet experienced menopause (change of life; end of monthly
periods) you should know that rosiglitazone may increase the chance that you
will become pregnant even if you do not have regular monthly periods or you
have a condition that prevents you from ovulating (releasing an egg from the
ovaries). Talk to your doctor about methods of birth control that will work
for you.
o plan to follow the exercise program recommended by your doctor. Regular
exercise will help to control your diabetes.
o talk to your doctor about how often you should test your blood sugar
during your treatment with rosiglitazone. Follow these instructions
carefully.
Special precautions:
Follow all dietary recommendations made by your doctor or dietitian. A
healthy diet and weight loss will help control your diabetes and will also
make rosiglitazone more effective.
Possible Adverse
Effects:
Rosiglitazone usually does not cause
hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) when used alone. However, you may experience
low blood sugar if you take rosiglitazone with other medications for
diabetes, if you skip meals, or if you have certain medical conditions. If
you have any of the following symptoms, eat or drink a food or beverage with
sugar in it, such as hard candy or fruit juice, and call your doctor without
delay. Symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) include:
o shakiness
o lightheadedness or dizziness
o sweating
o confusion
o nervousness or irritability
o sudden changes in behavior or mood
o headache
o numbness or tingling around the mouth
o weakness
o pale skin
o sudden hunger
o clumsy or jerky movements
o seizures
call your doctor without delay if you have any of the following symptoms of
hyperglycemia (high blood sugar):
o extreme thirst
o frequent urination
o extreme hunger
o weakness
o blurred vision (Impaired vision)
If high blood sugar is not treated, a serious, life-threatening condition
called diabetic ketoacidosis could develop. call your doctor without delay
if you have any of the these symptoms:
o dry mouth
o upset stomach and vomiting
o shortness of breath
o breath that smells fruity
o decreased consciousness
Rosiglitazone may cause adverse effects. Inform your doctor if any of the
following symptoms are severe or do not go away:
o headache
o runny nose and other cold symptoms
o sore throat
o back pain
o painful or irregular menstrual periods
o flu-like symptoms
Some adverse effects could be serious. If you have any of the following
symptoms, call your doctor without delay:
o stomach pain
o extreme tiredness (fatigue)
o loss of appetite (anorexia)
o upset stomach
o vomiting
o dark urine
o yellowing of the skin or eyes, jaundice
o blurred vision (Impaired vision)
o difficulty seeing colors
o difficulty seeing in the dark
o pale skin
o dizziness
o chest pain or tightness
o shortness of breath
o wakening during the night because of difficulty breathing
o cough
o large or rapid weight gain
o swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, throat, hands, arms, feet,
ankles or lower legs
o hoarseness
o difficulty swallowing or breathing
o hives (Urticaria)
o itching
Brand Name(s):
o Avandia®
o Avandaryl® as a combination product containing rosiglitazone and
glimeperide
o Avandamet® as a combination product containing rosiglitazone and
metformin |
