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Treatment Tips
This section will help you learn how to get the most from Avandia and any other diabetes medicines you may take to help you meet your blood sugar goals. You’ll also find information on the different tests used to help track your blood sugar levels and how they fit into your diabetes management plan.
Whether you take Avandia alone or with other medicines, it’s important to stick with your treatment and keep tabs on your blood sugar. That means checking your blood sugar yourself and getting regular A1C tests to see your average blood sugar levels over the past two or three months.
How Avandia can help you meet your goals
One of the main goals of diabetes treatment is to keep blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible over time. Blood sugar control and managing your disease to your best ability over time may help reduce the risk of other serious health problems related to diabetes. That’s why it’s important to stay on the medicine prescribed by your doctor.
Avandia works differently than some other diabetes medicines. It does not cause your body to make more insulin. Instead, Avandia can help your body use its natural insulin better. This lowers your blood sugar and can help keep it under control.*
* Individual results may vary.
Please see important safety information below for Avandia, Avandamet and Avandaryl, including boxed WARNINGS and who should not take Avandia, Avandamet and Avandaryl.
Avandia, along with diet and exercise, helps improve blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Avandia can cause or worsen heart failure. If you have severe heart failure (very poor pumping ability of the heart), you cannot be started on Avandia. Avandia is also not recommended if you have heart failure with symptoms (such as shortness of breath or swelling) even if these symptoms are not severe.
Avandia may increase your risk of other heart problems that occur when there is reduced blood flow to the heart, such as chest pain (angina) or heart attack (myocardial infarction). This risk appeared higher in patients taking medicines called nitrates or insulin. Taking Avandia with insulin or with nitrates is not recommended.
If you have chest pain or a feeling of chest pressure, you should seek immediate medical attention, regardless of what diabetes medicines you are taking.
If you take Avandia, tell your doctor right away if you:
- Have swollen legs or ankles, a rapid increase in weight or difficulty breathing, or unusual tiredness
- Experience changes in vision
- Become pregnant
Review your medical history and tell your doctor if you:
- Have heart failure or other heart problems
- Have liver problems or liver disease
- Are pregnant or are nursing
Women taking Avandia should know that Avandia may increase the risk of pregnancy.
More fractures have been observed in women taking Avandia.
For more information about Avandia, please see the Medication Guide. For further information on Avandia, please see full
Prescribing Information.
Avandamet, along with diet and exercise, helps improve blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes. It is a combination of two drugs - rosiglitazone maleate and metformin HCl.
Avandamet can cause or worsen heart failure. If you have severe heart failure (very poor pumping ability of the heart), you cannot be started on Avandamet. Avandamet is also not recommended if you have heart failure with symptoms (such as shortness of breath or swelling) even if these symptoms are not severe.
Rosiglitazone, a component of Avandamet, may increase your risk of other heart problems that occur when there is reduced blood flow to the heart, such as chest pain (angina) or heart attack (myocardial infarction). This risk appeared higher in patients taking medicines called nitrates or insulin. Taking rosiglitazone with insulin or with nitrates is not recommended.
If you have chest pain or a feeling of chest pressure, you should seek immediate medical attention, regardless of what diabetes medicines you are taking.
A small number of people who have taken metformin, one of the components of Avandamet, have developed a rare yet serious condition called lactic acidosis (a buildup of lactic acid in the blood). Lactic acidosis occurs most often in people with kidney problems and can be fatal in up to one half of the cases. You should not take Avandamet if you have kidney problems. Tests should be used to check your kidneys before and while taking Avandamet. You should not drink alcohol excessively when taking Avandamet. If you are taking medicines for heart failure, you may be at increased risk of lactic acidosis.
If you take Avandamet, tell your doctor right away if you:
- Have swollen legs or ankles, a rapid increase in weight or difficulty breathing, or unusual tiredness
- Experience changes in vision
- Become pregnant
Review your medical history and tell your doctor if you:
- Have heart failure or other heart problems
- Have liver problems or liver disease
- Are pregnant or are nursing
Women taking Avandamet should know that Avandamet may increase the risk of pregnancy
More fractures have been observed in women taking Avandamet.
For more information about Avandamet, please see Patient Information. For further information on Avandamet, please see full Prescribing Information.
Avandaryl, along with diet and exercise, helps improve blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Avandaryl is a combination of two drugs - rosiglitazone maleate and glimepiride.
Avandaryl can cause or worsen heart failure. If you have severe heart failure (very poor pumping ability of the heart), you cannot be started on Avandaryl. Avandaryl is also not recommended if you have heart failure with symptoms (such as shortness of breath or swelling) even if these symptoms are not severe.
Rosiglitazone, a component of Avandaryl, may increase your risk of other heart problems that occur when there is reduced blood flow to the heart, such as chest pain (angina) or heart attack (myocardial infarction). This risk appeared higher in patients taking medicines called nitrates or insulin. Taking rosiglitazone with insulin or with nitrates is not recommended.
If you have chest pain or a feeling of chest pressure, you should seek immediate medical attention, regardless of what diabetes medicines you are taking.
Avandaryl may cause low blood sugar. Lightheadedness, dizziness, shakiness or hunger may mean that your blood sugar is too low. If you have kidney problems, you may need a lower dose of Avandaryl to reduce problems with low blood sugar. Talk to your doctor if low blood sugar is a problem for you.
If you take Avandaryl, tell your doctor right away if you:
- Have swollen legs or ankles, a rapid increase in weight or difficulty breathing, or unusual tiredness
- Experience changes in vision
- Become pregnant
Review your medical history and tell your doctor if you:
- Have heart failure or other heart problems
- Have liver problems or liver disease
- Are pregnant or are nursing
Women taking Avandaryl should know that Avandaryl may increase the risk of pregnancy
More fractures have been observed in women taking Avandaryl .
For more information about Avandaryl, please see Patient Information. For further information on Avandaryl, please see full Prescribing Information.
