| Pharmacy Drug Brand Name: | Avandia® |
| Active Ingredient(s): | rosiglitazone |
| Strength(s) / Dose(s): | 2 mg, 4 mg, and 8 mg |
| Delivery / Dosage Form(s): | Tablets |
| Company Manufacturer Name: | SmithKline Beecham |
| Availability / Prescription: | Prescription only |
| FDA Approval Date *: | May 25, 1999 |
* Approval by the FDA does not necessarily mean that this drug is available for consumers at this time.
What is Avandia used for?
Avandia, in addition to diet and exercise, improves blood sugar control in adults with type 2(non-insulin-dependent) diabetes. Avandia can be used alone or in combination with a sulfonylurea ormetformin, when diet, exercise, and one of these agents or diet, exercise, plus Avandia alone are not enough to control blood sugar.
Who should not take Avandia?
- Do not use Avandia for type I diabetes (juvenile diabetes) or diabetic ketoacidosis.
- If you have heart failure, fluid retention or active liver disease or damage your health care (healthcare) provider will evaluate you to decide if Avandia is right for you.
General Precautions with Avandia:
- In drug testing, Avandia did not cause liver toxicity or an increase in liver enzymes. However, Avandia is in the same class of drugs as Rezulin, which has been associated with rare but serious liver injury, including liver failure leading to transplant or death.
- Because Avandia’s liver safety profile is not fully determined yet, your doctor will do blood tests that evaluate your liver before starting you on Avandia. These blood tests should be repeated every two months for the first year, then regularly after that.
- Call your health care (healthcare) provider right away if you develop nausea, vomiting, stomach pain or discomfort, a feeling of tiredness, or having no energy, loss of appetite, dark urine, or jaundice (yellow coloring of eyes and skin). These may be symptoms of liver problems.
- When taking Avandia with other oral diabetes medicines, there is a risk of your blood sugar becoming dangerously low. Ask your health care (healthcare) provider abut symptoms of low blood sugar, conditions that make low blood sugar more likely, and what to do if you get it. Make sure to explain to family members.
- If you are a woman who has not reached menopause but have not had menstrual periods; you may become pregnant unless you use an effective method of birth control. Avandia, like other drugs in this class, may cause insulin resistant women to start ovulating again.
- Women should tell their doctor if they notice any changes in their monthly menstrual cycle.
- During periods of stress on the body, such as fever, trauma, infection, or surgery, your medication requirements may change; contact your health care (healthcare) provider promptly.
Managing your diabetes should include diet control. Caloric restriction, weight loss as needed and exercise are essential for the proper treatment of diabetes because they help improve insulin sensitivity and the effectiveness of drug therapy.
What are some possible side effects of Avandia? <(This is not a comprehensive list of possible side effects reported with Avandia. Your doctor or pharmacist can provide expert advice on the possible side effects of this drug.)
- Cough or cold
- Headache
- Inflammation of the sinuses
- Back pain or discomfort
- Swelling or fluid retention