Alogliptin tablets for diabetes

About alogliptin

Insulin is a hormone which is made naturally in your body. It helps to control the levels of sugar (glucose) in your blood. If your body does not make enough insulin, or if it does not use the insulin it makes effectively, this results in the condition called diabetes mellitus.

People with diabetes need treatment to control the amount of sugar in their blood. This is because good control of blood sugar levels reduces the risk of complications later on. Some people can control the sugar in their blood by making changes to the food they eat but, for other people, medicines like alogliptin are given alongside the changes in diet.

Alogliptin works in part by increasing the amount of insulin produced by your body, which then controls the level of sugar in your blood. It also reduces the amount of a substance called glucagon being produced by your pancreas. Glucagon causes your liver to produce more sugar; so, by reducing the amount of glucagon in your body, this also helps to reduce the levels of sugar in your blood.

For more information on how antidiabetic medicines like alogliptin work, see the separate leaflet called Treatments for Type 2 Diabetes.

Before taking alogliptin

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine can only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking alogliptin it is important that your doctor knows:

• If you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

• If you have ever had an inflamed pancreas (pancreatitis).

• If you have heart failure, a condition where your heart is not working as well as it should.

• If you have any problems with the way your liver works, or if you have any problems with the way your kidneys work.

• If you are taking any other medicines. This includes any medicines you are taking which are available to buy without a prescription, as well as herbal and complementary medicines.

• If you have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine.

How to take alogliptin tablets

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about alogliptin and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• Take alogliptin tablets exactly as your doctor tells you to. Your dose will be on the label of the pack to remind you about what the doctor said to you.

• If you are taking a brand of alogliptin tablets called Vipidia®, the dose for most people is 25 mg (one tablet) daily. It will, however, be different to this if you have any problems with the way your kidneys work. You can generally take alogliptin at a time of day to suit you, but it is best to take your doses at the same time of day each day. Swallow the tablet with a drink of water - you can take it either with or without food.

• If you have been prescribed a combination tablet of alogliptin with metformin (Vipdomet® brand) you should take one tablet twice a day. Take the tablet after you have eaten a meal or with a snack, as this will help to reduce the chance of an upset stomach. There are two strengths of Vipdomet® tablet - both strengths contain the same amount of alogliptin but the amount of metformin differs. You will be prescribed the strength of tablet that fits with your current metformin dose.

• If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember (unless it is nearly time for your next dose, in which case leave out the missed dose). Do not take two doses together to make up for a forgotten dose.

Getting the most from your treatment

• It is important that you keep your regular doctor's and clinic appointments. This is so that your progress can be monitored. You will need regular check-ups with an eye clinic and a foot clinic as well as with your doctor and diabetes clinic.

• Your doctor may recommend that you test for sugar (glucose) in your blood or urine regularly to check that your diabetes is being controlled. Your doctor or diabetes nurse will show you how to do this.

• If you have been given advice by your doctor about changes to your diet, stopping smoking or taking regular exercise, it is important for you to follow the advice you have been given.

• Do not drink alcohol, as it can affect the control of your blood sugar. Ask your doctor if you need further advice about this.

• If you are a driver you should take special care, as your ability to concentrate may be affected if your diabetes is not well controlled. You may be advised to check your blood sugar levels before you travel and to have a snack with you on long journeys.

• Check with your doctor before taking up any new physical exercise, as this will have an effect on your blood sugar levels and you may need to check your blood or urine levels more regularly.

• Make sure you know what it feels like if your blood sugar is low. This is known as hypoglycaemia, or a 'hypo'. Although alogliptin is unlikely to cause low blood sugar, other medicines that you are taking for diabetes alongside it may. The first signs of hypoglycaemia are feeling shaky or anxious, sweating, looking pale, feeling hungry, having a feeling that your heart is pounding (palpitations), and feeling dizzy.

• If you are due to have an operation or dental treatment, you should tell the person carrying out the treatment that you have diabetes and that you are taking alogliptin.

• If you become unusually thirsty, pass urine more frequently than normal, and feel very tired, you should let your doctor know. These are signs that there is too much sugar in your blood and your treatment may need adjusting.

• Treatment for diabetes is usually lifelong. Continue to take alogliptin tablets unless you are advised otherwise by your doctor.

Can alogliptin tablets cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with alogliptin. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Important: medicines like alogliptin can cause persistent and severe tummy pain in a few people. If this happens to you, you should speak with your doctor as soon as possible as it can be a symptom of an inflamed pancreas (pancreatitis).

If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to the tablets, speak with your doctor or pharmacist for further advice.

How to store alogliptin

• Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.

• Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.
  

Important information about all medicines