Pioglitazone

Description

Pioglitazone is an anti-diabetic medicine used to control high blood sugar levels in type II Diabetes Mellitus (when your body cannot use the insulin it makes effectively to move sugar from the blood into the cells). This medicine works by improving your body's response to insulin (a chemical substance that helps control blood sugar levels) and lowering the production of sugar in the liver. Pioglitazone has some side effects like headache, muscle pain, stuffy nose, sore throat, low blood sugar levels, weight gain, etc. Consult your doctor if they bother you for a longer time or worsen. Pioglitazone is to be taken once daily with or without food. Your doctor will determine the dose based on your clinical condition and therapeutic response, alone or in combination with other medications. Do not take more than the recommended dose as it may lead to side effects. Take it every day at the same time for ease of remembering and to maintain a constant level of this medicine in the blood. Do not discontinue this medication without consulting your doctor as it may worsen your condition. Pioglitazone is not recommended if you are allergic to it or have heart failure (the heart is unable to pump enough blood throughout the body), type 1 diabetes mellitus (when your body does not produce insulin or makes very little insulin), diabetic ketoacidosis (increase in the levels of blood acids called ketones), liver problems, or bladder cancer. Inform your doctor if you have kidney or eye conditions along with any other health issues you have and the medicines you use. Pioglitazone is not recommended for use in children below 18 years of age as the safety and efficacy data are not available. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before taking this medicine.

Side effects

Major & minor side effects for Pioglitazone

  • Low blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia)
  • Bloody and Cloudy urine
  • Painful urination
  • Swelling of face, lips, eyelids, tongue, hands and feet
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Weight gain
  • Upper respiratory tract infection
  • Headache
  • Fracture of bones
  • Muscle pain
  • Stuffy nose
  • Sore throat

Uses of Pioglitazone

What is it prescribed for?

  • Type II Diabetes Mellitus
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Concerns

Commonly asked questions

  • Onset of action
    The time taken for Pioglitazone to show its effect is not clinically known.
  • Duration of effect
    The effect of Pioglitazone lasts for approximately 24 hours.
  • Safe with alcohol?
    Avoid consumption of alcohol during treatment with Pioglitazone due to the increased risk of side effects.
  • Is it habit forming?
    No habit-forming tendency has been reported for Pioglitazone.
  • Usage in pregnancy?
    Pioglitazone is not recommended for use during pregnancy unless absolutely necessary. Consult your doctor before taking this medicine if you are pregnant.
  • Usage while breast-feeding?
    Pioglitazone is not recommended for use if you are breastfeeding as it may cause undesired effects in your infant. Consult your doctor to understand the risks and benefits before taking this medicine.

Allergy

Avoid taking Pioglitazone if you are allergic to it. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms such as skin rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, breathing difficulty, etc.

Heart Failure

Heart failure is when your heart is unable to pump enough blood throughout the body. Pioglitazone is not recommended for use if you had moderate-to-severe heart failure due to the increased risk of worsening your health condition.

Diabetic ketoacidosis

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious complication of diabetes that causes a build-up of acids called ketones in the blood. Pioglitazone is not recommended for use if you have diabetic ketoacidosis as it may further worsen your condition.

Bladder cancer

Pioglitazone may increase the risk of bladder cancer. This medicine is not recommended for use if you have bladder cancer as it may worsen your condition.

Active liver disease

Pioglitazone is not recommended for use if you have liver problems due to the increased risk of elevated liver enzyme levels and liver toxicity.

Type 1 Diabetes mellitus

Pioglitazone is not recommended for use if you have Type I diabetes (when your body does not produce insulin or makes very little insulin) as this medicine is not effective in treating the condition.
Warnings for special population

Pregnancy

Pioglitazone is not recommended for use during pregnancy unless absolutely necessary. Consult your doctor before taking this medicine if you are pregnant.

Breast-feeding

Pioglitazone is not recommended for use if you are breastfeeding as it may cause undesired effects in your infant. Consult your doctor to understand the risks and benefits before taking this medicine.
General warnings

Oedema

Oedema refers to swelling caused due to excess fluid retention in your body's tissue. Pioglitazone can cause oedema, and should be used with caution if you are the risk of developing heart failure or have fluid retention in the body. This medicine may further worsen your condition

Bone fractures

Pioglitazone should be used with caution due to the increased risk of bone fractures, especially in women.

Use in children

Pioglitazone is not recommended for use in children below 18 years of age as the safety and efficacy data are not available.

Other anti-diabetic medicines

Report the use of any other anti-diabetic medication to your doctor before beginning treatment with this medicine, as it may lead to very low blood sugar levels.

Weight gain

Monitor your body weight during treatment with Pioglitazone, as this medicine may cause weight gain.

Premenopausal ovulation

Women of childbearing potential should use Pioglitazone with caution as it may stimulate ovulation (release of a mature egg from the ovary) and increase the risk of unintended pregnancy.

Macular oedema

Macular oedema is swelling of the macula (the thin layer at the back of your eye) due to the build-up of fluid. Pioglitazone should be used with caution if you have macular oedema as this medicine may further aggravate your condition.

Driving or operating machines

Avoid driving vehicles or operating machines if you experience visual disturbances during treatment with Pioglitazone.

Missed Dose

Take the missed dose of Pioglitazone as soon as you remember. However, skip the missed dose if it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. Do not double your dose to make up for the missed dose.

Overdose

Never take more than the prescribed dose of Pioglitazone. Contact your doctor immediately in case of an overdose of this medicine.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol

Description

N/A

Instructions

Avoid consumption of alcohol during treatment with Pioglitazone due to the increased risk of side effects.
Interaction with Medicine

Gatifloxacin

Gemfibrozil

Insulin injection

Disease interactions

Bladder cancer

Pioglitazone should be used with caution due to the increased risk of bladder cancer.

Anaemia

Pioglitazone should be used with caution if you have anaemia (low red blood cell count) as this medicine may cause a decrease in haemoglobin (a protein in the red blood cells that helps to carry oxygen) and haematocrit (the volume of red blood cells compared to total blood volume) levels.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Pioglitazone may be taken with or without food. Take this medicine exactly as prescribed by the doctor. Do not break, crush, or chew the tablet. Swallow it whole with an adequate amount of water. Take the medicine at the same time every day for ease of remembering. Adapt healthy lifestyles such as eating a diet with low sugar content and indulging in physical activities to get maximum benefits. Regularly monitor your blood sugar levels during treatment with this medicine. Always carry a sugar candy with you to counteract the unexpected lowering of blood sugar levels.
Miscelleneous

Can be taken with or without food, as advised by your doctor

To be taken as instructed by doctor

May cause sleepiness

How it works
Pioglitazone works by improving your body's response to insulin (a chemical substance that helps control blood sugar levels) and lowering the production of sugar in the liver.
Legal Status

Approved

Approved

Approved

Approved

Classification

Category

Thiazolidinediones, Antidiabetic agents

Schedule

Schedule H

Medicines.org.uk. 2021. Pioglitazone Mylan 15 mg, 30 mg, 45 mg tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc). [online] Available at: [Accessed 29 October 2021].

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/8836/smpc#CLINICAL_PRECAUTIONS

Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. Pioglitazone. [online] Available at: [Accessed 29 October 2021].

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/4829#section=Biological-Half-Life

Ema.europa.eu. 2022. [online] Available at: [Accessed 9 August 2022].

https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/actos-epar-product-information_en.pdf

Bbukltd.com. 2022. [online] Available at: [Accessed 9 August 2022].

https://www.bbukltd.com/wp-content/uploads/PIL//UK_PIL_Sep-2016_Pioglitazone-2.pdf

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Information on this page was last updated on 9 Aug 2022

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