Type 2 diabetic patients, who are not dependent on insulin, can control their blood sugar levels by taking Actos. Actos belongs to the family of drugs called the thiazolidinediones, abbreviated TZDs. It helps the body to use insulin effectively, thereby lowering the high blood sugar levels.

Actos is meant for type 2 diabetic patients who are not dependent upon insulin injection. It was launched in the market during 1990s and initially appeared to be a quite promising drug, until cases associated with liver damage emerged.

This drug works by lowering the insulin resistance, thereby bringing down the sugar levels. It does this by forming new fat cells primarily on the arms, thighs and hips. These new fat cells, in turn, take the glucose out of the blood stream.

Dosage:

Dosage should be followed as per the prescription and any alterations to the medication should be done only under medical supervision. Normally,

• The dosage for patients suffering from type 2 patients is 15mg to 30mg once a day. However if it doesn’t bring the sugar level down to the permissible limits, then the dose might be adjusted to 45mg per day.
• It should be taken once during the day, preferably at the same time.
• Since it is meant to bring down the sugar levels in blood, constant blood sugar monitoring needs to be done.

Precautions:

Diabetic patients, who suffer from any of the following, should consult with the doctor before taking this medicine:

1. Allergies to the salt pioglitazone.
2. Any kind of heart ailments like heart attack or stroke.
3. Any liver related problems
4. Any lung related disorders like fluid retention
5. Swelling anywhere in the body
6. Anemia
7. Macular edema i.e. a specific eye problem

Other than this, the patients who have been prescribed this medicine should keep a check on the following:

1. Hypoglycemia- diabetic patients can sometimes suffer from low blood sugar also known as hypoglycemia. The symptoms of this are headache, hunger, weakness, sweating, tremor, irritability, or trouble concentrating. This can be caused due to:
   1. Skipped meals
   2. Alcohol consumption
   3. Stress or
   4. Long duration workouts.

During hypoglycemia, a person may suffer from blurred vision, dizziness or drowsiness. Hence, it is always recommended to keep some sweet candies or biscuits handy, so that if hypoglycemia occurs at any time, these high sugar level items can be consumed instantly, to bring the sugar level up. While suffering from hypoglycemia, one should avoid driving, operating heavy machinery or any kind of activity that requires alertness or clear vision.

1. Women, who have started with Actos, have reported cases of resuming menstruation cycles which otherwise had stopped long ago. Not only this, there have been cases, where women have become pregnant owing to the re-start of menstruation cycles. So, if after using this drug, one starts with the menstruation cycle, that condition should be discussed with the doctor at once.
2. Women also have reported bone fractures in arms, hands or feet while consuming Actos, more than the male population. Frequent visits to your doctor, and undergoing regular medical check- ups is always recommended for diabetic patients.

Bookmark It

Find More Information on Actos Here