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Actos 15mg tablets are an anti-diabetic medicine used to treat type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes mellitus. This is the diabetes that usually develops in adulthood.
Actos 15mg tablets helps control the level of sugar in your blood when you've type 2 diabetes by helping your body make better use of the insulin it produces.
Actos 15mg tablets might be used on their own or in combination with metformin and / or a sulphonylurea which are also oral anti-diabetic medicines. Actos 15 mg tablets may also be used in combination with insulin.
Actos is a medicine containing the active substance pioglitazone. The white, round tablets contain 15,30 or 45 mg of pioglitazone.
What is Actos used for?
Actos is used to treat type 2 diabetes (also known as non insulin-dependent diabetes).
- It can be used on its own (monotherapy) in patients (particularly those who are overweight)who cannot use metformin (an antidiabetic medicine).
- It can be used together with one other antidiabetic medicine (dual therapy). It can be added to metformin in patients (particularly those who are overweight) who are not satisfactorily controlled on metformin used on its own and at the maximum tolerated dose. Alternatively, it can be added to a sulphonylurea (another antidiabetic medicine) in patients for whom metformin isn't suitable and who are not satisfactorily controlled with the sulphonylurea used
- on its own at the maximum tolerated dose.
- It can be used together with two other antidiabetic medicines, metformin and a sulphonylurea, as triple therapy in patients (particularly those who are overweight) who are not satisfactorily controlled with these two medicines.
- It can be used together with insulin in patients who are not satisfactorily controlled with insulin alone and cannot take metformin.
How is Actos used?
Actos is taken once daily with or without food. The dose is adjusted to give the ideal control. The recommended starting dose is 15 mg or 30 mg once daily. This dose might need to be increased after one or two weeks to up to 45 mg once daily. In combination with metformin, the current metformindose can be continued when starting Actos treatment. In combination with a sulphonylurea or insulin, the current sulphonylurea or insulin dose can be continued when starting Actos treatment unless the patient has hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose), when the dose of the sulphonylurea or insulin should be decreased.
How does Actos work?
Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which the pancreas does not make enough insulin to control the level of glucose in the blood. Pioglitazone, the active ingredient in Actos, makes the cells more sensitive to insulin, which means that the body makes superior use of the insulin it produces, the blood glucose is reduced and this helps to control type 2 diabetes.
One tablet should be taken once daily. If necessary your doctor may tell you to take a different dose. If you have the impression that the effect of Actos 15mg tablets is too weak, speak to your physician.
Actos 15mg tablets can be taken with or without food.
When Actos 15mg tablets are taken in combination with other medicines used to treat diabetes (such as insulin, chlorpropamide, glibenclamide, gliclazide, tolbutamide) your physician will tell you whether you need to take a smaller dose of your medicines.
Your doctor will ask you to have blood tests periodically during treatment with Actos. This is to check that your liver is working normally.
If you are following a diabetic diet, you should continue with this while you are taking Actos 15mg tablets.
Your weight should be checked at regular intervals; if your weight increases, inform your physician. Some patients with long-standing type 2 diabetes mellitus and heart disease or previous stroke who were treated with Actos and insulin experienced the development of heart failure. Inform your physician as soon as possible if you experience signs of heart failure such as uncommon shortness of breath or rapid increase in weight or localised swelling (oedema).
In clinical trials in which pioglitazone was compared to other oral anti diabetic drugs or placebo (dummy pill), a higher number of bone fractures was seen in women (but not in men) taking pioglitazone. Your doctor will take this into account when treating your diabetes.
If you take more Actos 15mg tablets than you should:
If you accidentally take too many tablets, or if someone else or a child takes your medicine, talk to a physician or pharmacist immediately.
If you forget to take Actos 15mg tablets:
Try to take Actos 15mg tablets daily as prescribed. However if you miss a dose, just carry on with the next dose as normal. Do not take an extra tablet to make up for the one you missed.
HOW TO STORE ACTOS
Keep out of the reach and sight of children.
This medicinal product does not require any special storage precautions.
Don't use after the expiry date stated on the carton.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.