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Talk to Your Doctor About Avandia
Avandia may be the right treatment choice for some patients with type 2 diabetes. For example, if your blood sugar is uncontrolled despite your best efforts, your doctor may add Avandia as part of your diabetes treatment plan to help lower your blood sugar. Talk with your doctor about the possible benefits and risks of Avandia. Please read the Medication Guide and Important Safety Information for Avandia.
Controlling your blood sugar and managing your diabetes as best you can over time may help you reduce your risk of serious health problems from the disease.
Don’t feel bad about telling your doctor that you have trouble controlling your blood sugar. Millions of people with diabetes struggle, too. It just means that you may need more help.
Remember, most people with type 2 diabetes take medicine, and many take more than one medicine to help treat diabetes in different ways. You may need to add medicines over time to help control your blood sugar.
Start the conversation
Please read the Medication Guide and Important Safety Information for Avandia. To help you and your doctor decide if Avandia might be the right choice for you, answer the questions in the "Is Avandia Right for Me" tool. Print the form, and discuss your answers with your doctor at your next appointment.
When you talk about diabetes medicines with your doctor, review your medical history and your current medicines. As with any medicine, only your doctor can decide whether Avandia is right for you.
Please see important safety information below for Avandia, Avandamet and Avandaryl, including who should not take Avandia, Avandamet or Avandaryl. See also link to Medication Guide for Avandia and links to Patient Information Leaflets for Avandamet and Avandaryl.
Prescription Avandia, along with diet and exercise, helps improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Taking Avandia with insulin or nitrates is not recommended.
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.
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.
Before taking Avandia, review your medical history and tell your doctor if you:
- Have heart failure or other heart problems, or are on any medicines for high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart failure, or for prevention of heart disease or stroke.
- Take insulin or nitrate medicines.
- Have a type of diabetic eye disease called macular edema.
- Have liver problems or had liver problems while taking REZULIN®(troglitazone).
- Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
- Are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.
Women taking Avandia should know that Avandia may increase the risk of pregnancy. More fractures have been observed in women taking Avandia. Other possible side effects of Avandia include anemia and hypoglycemia. Your doctor should do blood tests to check your liver before you start Avandia and during treatment as needed.
For more information about Avandia, please see 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.
