Avandia

Avandia (generic name: rosiglitazone) is a remedy to reduce the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. It is in a class of anti-diabetic drugs called "thiazolidinediones" that are used in the treatment of type II diabetes. Pioglitazone (Actos) is another member of this class. (Troglitazone or Rezulin, which also belonged to this class, was removed from the market because of liver toxicity.) As type II diabetic patients cannot make enough insulin, the cells of their body do not respond normally to the reduced amounts of insulin that are present. (Insulin Hormone is produced by the pancreas that stimulates cells to remove glucose from the blood.) Often referred to as an "insulin sensitizer", Rosiglitazone attaches to the insulin receptors on cells throughout the body. It causes the cells to become more sensitive (more responsive) to insulin. Consequently, more glucose is removed from the blood. It is necessary that some insulin must be produced by the pancreas in order for Rosiglitazone to function. Rosiglitazone was approved by the FDA on May 28, 1999.
Medications and Prescriptions
Generic name: Rosiglitazone maleate

Product Brand Name: Avandia ®

Why is this drug prescribed?

Avandia is used to hold down blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes (also known as "non-insulin dependent" or "adult onset" diabetes). Usually, blood sugar levels are controlled by the body's natural supply of insulin, which helps sugar move out of the bloodstream and into the cells. In type 2 diabetes, the buildup of sugar in the blood is frequently due not to a lack of insulin, but to the body's inability to make proper use of it. Avandia first helps in decreasing sugar production and then formulates the body make more efficient use of the available insulin. This new type of diabetes medication does not increase the actual amount of insulin in circulation. Avandia can be used alone or in combination with metformin (Glucophage) or a member of the sulfonylurea class of diabetes drugs (Diabinese, Micronase, Orinase). It takes effect slowly. Though you may not see a reduction in blood sugar levels for the first 2 weeks of therapy, it may take 2 to 3 months to deliver maximum results.
Most important fact about this drug

It is to be noted that Avandia is only an aid to diabetes and not a substitute for good diet, weight loss, and exercise. A healthy diet and good exercise plan is to be necessarily followed, failing of which may lead to serious complications, such as dangerously high or low blood sugar levels. It should be kept in mind that Avandia is not an oral form of insulin and cannot be used instead of insulin.

3. How should you take this medication?

The dosage of Avandia is once a day in the morning or divided in half and taken in the morning and evening, with or without food. If a dose is missed, it can be consumed the moment you remember. However, two doses should not be taken at once.
Storage instructions
Avandia is to be stored at room temperature in a tight, light-resistant container.
4. What side effects may occur?



As the side effects cannot be anticipated, if you find any develop or change in intensity, inform your physician immediately.

More common side effects may include back pain, fatigue, headache, high blood sugar, respiratory tract infections, sinus inflammation, and swelling.
Less common side effects may include Anemia (low blood cell count) and diarrhea.
Rare side effects may include congestive heart failure and low blood sugar.

5. Why should this drug not be prescribed?

If you come across any allergic reaction, stop consuming Avandia.

6. Special warnings about this medication

If you have liver disease, you should not take Avandia. Your doctor will check to make sure your liver function is normal before prescribing Avandia, and then recheck it every 2 months for the first 12 months and periodically thereafter. Warning signs of liver damage include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, and dark urine. If you find any of these symptoms, tell your doctor immediately so that you may need to discontinue treatment with Avandia. People taking Avandia in combination with other diabetes drugs sometimes develop low blood sugar. If this happens, check with your doctor. You have to reduce the dosage of the other diabetes drug. People with kidney problems can take Avandia, but should not take Glucophage. Also, people with poor kidney function should not consume both Avandia and Glucophage. As Avandia can increase the chances of conception, you can use some form of birth control if you don't want a pregnancy. Avandia won't help type 1 diabetics as they are unable to produce any insulin at all. Insulin shots are a necessity for this form of the illness. Nor can Avandia relieve diabetic ketoacidosis (excessively high sugar levels due to lack of insulin).If you have a problem with fluid retention or swelling, use Avandia with caution. The drug has been known to cause this problem, which in turn can lead to heart failure. Avandia should be avoided by those who have been diagnosed with heart failure, and it should be discontinued by anyone who develops it. Ensure that your doctor is aware of any heart problems you may have. Alert him immediately if you develop symptoms of heart failure such as fatigue and shortness of breath. You should be aware that people taking Avandia tend to gain a little weight, typically around 5 to 10 pounds. This is because of the combination of fluid retention and fat accumulation. Avandia is not recommended for children under 18.
7. Possible food and drug interactions when taking this medication

No drug interactions with Avandia have been reported at this time.

8. Special information if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

It is necessary to maintain normal blood sugar levels if you are pregnant, but the safety of Avandia during pregnancy remains unproven. Since insulin shots are known to be safe, your doctor may switch you from Avandia to insulin until the baby is born. It is not known whether Avandia appears in breast milk. Because many drugs do find their way into breast milk, however, the safest bet is to avoid taking Avandia while nursing.


9. Recommended dosage
ADULTS
The usual starting dose of Avandia either alone or in combination with another diabetes drug is 4 milligrams once a day or 2 milligrams twice a day. If your sugar levels remain too high after 12 weeks of treatment, the doctor may increase your dose to 8 milligrams once a day or 4 milligrams twice a day.
10. Over dosage
Although there is no information on the potential results of Avandia overdose, any medication taken in excess can have serious consequences. If you suspect an overdose, seek medical attention immediately.

Caution! Before starting to take this medicine, it is vital that you should consult your doctor! Do not use it on your own initiative, without medical advice.




Avandia
Avandia is a drug helping in reducing the amount of glucose in the blood. Belonging to the class of anti-diabetic drugs known as "thiazolidinediones", this medication is used in treating type II diabetes. The other members in this class are pioglitazone (Actos) and troglitazone or Rezulin. Rosiglitazone also termed as "insulin sensitizer" helps in attaching to the insulin receptors on cells all through the body, thus causing the cells to become more sensitive to insulin. In this way, glucose is removed from the blood. For rosiglitazone to function some insulin is produced by the pancreas.

There are a number of avandia side effects and avandia warning reported so far. As per the Avandia news, some common side effects of the drug incorporate back pain, fatigue, headache, high blood sugar, respiratory tract infections, sinus inflammation and swelling. Rare side effects are congestive heart failure and low blood sugar. Those suffering from heart problems should steer clear of this drug.

People having liver disease and poor kidney function are not supposed to take this drug. The avandia should not be taken by children under 18. Always consume the drug as per the avandia prescription information. The high avandia dosage can give rise to severe consequences. The initial dosage of the drug should be 4 milligrams one time a day or 2 milligrams two times a day.