Vildagliptin för diabetes

About vildagliptin

Insulin är ett hormon som naturligt bildas i din kropp, i bukspottkörteln. Det hjälper till att kontrollera nivåerna av socker (glukos) i ditt blod. Om din kropp inte producerar tillräckligt med insulin, eller om den inte använder det insulin den producerar effektivt, resulterar detta i tillståndet som kallas diabetes (diabetes mellitus).

People with diabetes need treatment to control the amount of sugar in their blood. This is because good control of blood sugar levels reduces the risk of complications later on. Some people can control the sugar in their blood by making changes to the food they eat but, for other people, medicines like vildagliptin are given alongside the changes in diet.

Vildagliptin works in part by increasing the amount of insulin produced by your body. It also reduces the amount of a substance called glucagon being produced by your pancreas. Glucagon causes your liver to produce more sugar, so by reducing the amount of glucagon in your body, this also helps to reduce the levels of sugar in your blood.

Vildagliptin can be used by itself or alongside other medicines for diabetes, to help control your blood sugar level in different ways. Vildagliptin is available in a combination tablet with metformin to reduce the number of tablets you need to take each day.

Before taking vildagliptin

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking vildagliptin it is important that your doctor knows:

• Om du är gravid, försöker bli gravid eller ammar.

• Om du har några problem med hur din lever fungerar, eller med hur dina njurar fungerar.

• If you have a condition where your heart is not working as well as it should, known as heart failure.

• Om du tar några andra läkemedel. Detta inkluderar alla läkemedel du tar som finns att köpa utan recept, samt växtbaserade och komplementära läkemedel.

• Om du någonsin har haft en allergisk reaktion mot en medicin.

How to take vildagliptin

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about vildagliptin tablets and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking them.

• Take vildagliptin exactly as your doctor tells you to. Swallow the tablets with a drink of water.

• The usual dose is one 50 mg tablet taken twice a day (Galvus® brand), although sometimes only one dose a day is needed depending on what other medicines you are taking. Your doctor will tell you how many doses you should take and this information will also be printed on the label of the pack of tablets to remind you. If you have been told to take one dose of vildagliptin each day, take it in the morning. If you have been told to take two doses each day, take your first dose in the morning and the second dose in the evening. You can take the vildagliptin tablets before, during or after meals.

• If you have been prescribed a combination tablet of vildagliptin with metformin (Eucreas® brand) you should take one tablet twice a day, just after meals. Taking the tablets with food will reduce the risk of stomach upset which is a side-effect of metformin. There are two strengths of Eucreas® tablet - both strengths contain the same amount of vildagliptin but the amount of metformin differs. You will be prescribed the strength of tablet that fits with your current metformin dose.

• If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember (unless it is nearly time for your next dose, in which case leave out the missed dose). Do not take two doses together to make up for a forgotten dose.

Få ut det mesta av din behandling

• It is important that you keep your regular doctor's and clinic appointments. This is so that your progress can be monitored. You will need to have blood tests from time to time to make sure that your liver is working well. This is because vildagliptin can occasionally cause liver problems. The symptoms of this are feeling sick, being very tired, abdominal pain and dark-coloured urine - you must tell your doctor if you develop any of these symptoms.

• Din läkare kan rekommendera att du regelbundet testar socker (glukos) i ditt blod eller urin för att kontrollera att din diabetes är under kontroll. Din läkare eller diabetessköterska kommer att visa dig hur du gör detta.

• Om du har fått råd från din läkare om förändringar i din kost, att sluta röka eller att motionera regelbundet, är det viktigt att du följer de råd du har fått.

• Drick inte alkohol, eftersom det kan påverka kontrollen av ditt blodsocker. Fråga din läkare om du behöver ytterligare råd om detta.

• Om du är förare bör du vara extra försiktig, eftersom din förmåga att koncentrera dig kan påverkas om din diabetes inte är välkontrollerad. Du kan bli rekommenderad att kontrollera ditt blodsockernivå innan du reser och att ha ett mellanmål med dig på långa resor.

• Konsultera din läkare innan du börjar med någon ny fysisk aktivitet, eftersom detta kan påverka dina blodsockernivåer och du kan behöva kontrollera dina blod- eller urinnivåer mer regelbundet.

• Make sure you know what it feels like if your blood sugar is low. This is known as hypoglycaemia, or a 'hypo'. Although vildagliptin is unlikely to cause low blood sugar, other medicines that you are taking for diabetes alongside it may. The first signs of hypoglycaemia are feeling shaky or anxious, sweating, looking pale, feeling hungry, having a feeling that your heart is pounding (palpitations), and feeling dizzy.

• If you are due to have an operation or dental treatment, you should tell the person carrying out the treatment that you have diabetes and that you are taking vildagliptin.

• Om du blir ovanligt törstig, kissar oftare än normalt eller känner dig mycket trött, bör du informera din läkare. Dessa är tecken på att det finns för mycket socker i ditt blod och din behandling kan behöva justeras.

• Treatment for diabetes is usually lifelong. Continue to take vildagliptin tablets unless you are advised otherwise by your doctor.

Can vildagliptin cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with vildagliptin. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Om du upplever några andra symtom som du tror kan bero på tabletterna, tala med din läkare eller apotekare för vidare råd.

How to store vildagliptin

• Förvara alla läkemedel utom räckhåll och synhåll för barn.

• Förvara på en sval, torr plats, borta från direkt värme och ljus.

Viktig information om alla läkemedel