Avandamet

GlaxoSmithKline | Avandamet (Medication)

Desc:

Avandamet contains a combination of metformin and rosiglitazone, two oral diabetes medicines that help control blood sugar levels. Avandamet works by decreasing the amount of sugar that the liver produces and the intestines absorb. It also helps to make your body more sensitive to the insulin that you naturally produce.

Avandamet is for people with type 2 diabetes who do not use daily insulin injections. This medication is not for treating type 1 diabetes.

Taking Avandamet may increase your risk of serious heart problems, such as heart attack or stroke. Therefore, Avandamet is available only to certain people with type 2 diabetes that cannot be controlled with other diabetes medications. ...

Side Effect:

Avandamet may cause lactic acidosis (a build-up of lactic acid in the body, which can be fatal). Lactic acidosis can start slowly and get worse over time. Get emergency medical help if you have even mild symptoms of lactic acidosis, such as:muscle pain or weakness, numb or cold feeling in your arms and legs, trouble breathing, stomach pain, nausea with vomiting, slow or irregular heart rate, dizziness, or feeling very weak or tired.

Call your doctor at once if you have any other serious side effects, such as:chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling; sudden numbness, weakness, headache, confusion, or problems with vision, speech, or balance; swelling or rapid weight gain, feeling short of breath, (even with mild exertion); pale skin, feeling light-headed, rapid heart rate, trouble concentrating, fever, confusion or weakness; severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash; or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious Avandamet side effects may include:headache, tired feeling; nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, diarrhea; or cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat. ...

Precaution:

The metformin in this combination medication can rarely cause a condition called lactic acidosis, which can be fatal. Seek immediate medical attention if you develop any of the following symptoms of lactic acidosis:unusual tiredness, severe drowsiness, cold skin, muscle pain, rapid/difficult breathing, unusually slow/irregular heartbeat.

Lactic acidosis is more likely to occur in patients who have:serious infection, surgery, kidney or liver disease, conditions that may cause a low level of oxygen in the blood or poor circulation (e. g. , severe congestive heart failure, recent heart attack or stroke), excessive alcohol use, a lack of body fluids (dehydration), X-ray or scanning procedures that require an injectable iodinated contrast drug.

The elderly are also at a higher risk, especially people over 80 who have not had kidney and liver tests.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding is not recommended to use this medicine without your doctor's advice. ...