Avandia
Avandia (rosiglitazone) is an add-on medication to diet and exercise to control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
What is Avandia (rosiglitazone)?
What is Avandia (rosiglitazone) used for?
Type 2 diabetes
How Avandia (rosiglitazone) works
Avandia (rosiglitazone) is a thiazolidinedione that improves your body's ability to use insulin to lower your blood sugar.
Drug Facts
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What are the side effects of Avandia (rosiglitazone)?
Common Side Effects
- Respiratory infection (like a common cold) (10%)
- Headache (6%)
- Swelling (edema) (5%)
- Anemia (lowering of red blood cells) (2%)
Other Side Effects
- Low blood sugar
- Weight gain
- Fracture (broken bone)
- Changes in liver enzymes
Serious Side Effects
- Allergic reaction
- Worsening heart failure (shortness of breath, unusual swelling and tiredness, and sudden weight gain)
- Diabetic eye disease with swelling (also called macular edema)
- Liver problems (nausea or vomiting, stomach pain, unusual tiredness, loss of appetite, dark urine, yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes)
Source: FDA
The following side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Less common
Abdominal or stomach pain
blurred vision
chest pain or discomfort
decrease in the amount of urine
flushed, dry skin
fruit-like breath odor
increased hunger
increased thirst
increased urination
irregular heartbeat
noisy, rattling breathing
pain in the shoulders, arms, jaw, or neck
pale skin
rapid or unusual weight gain
sweating
swelling of the fingers, hands, feet, or lower legs
trouble breathing
unexplained weight loss
unusual bleeding or bruising
unusual tiredness or weakness
vomiting
Rare
chills
cold sweats
coma
confusion
dark urine
dizziness
fast heartbeat
headache
loss of appetite
nightmares
seizures
shakiness
slurred speech
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
Ear congestion
general feeling of discomfort or illness
hoarseness or other voice changes
injury
joint pain
muscle aches and pains
runny or stuffy nose
shivering
trouble sleeping
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Pros and cons of Avandia (rosiglitazone)
Pros
Prevents the harmful effects of high sugar levels on your organs
Rarely causes dangerously low blood sugar on its own
Can be taken with or without food
Can be used together with other diabetes medications
Cons
Not recommended as a first-choice drug for lowering blood sugar
Might cause weight gain
Might not be good for people with heart or liver problems
Has chance of raising your risk of heart attacks
Pharmacist tips for Avandia (rosiglitazone)
Sexually active women who take Avandia (rosiglitazone) can get pregnant, even if they don't have monthly periods. If you haven't gone through menopause, talk to your provider about birth control while taking this medication.
It can take up to 3 months to see the full effect of Avandia (rosiglitazone) so it's important that you continue taking the medication as instructed by your healthcare provider.
You can take Avandia (rosiglitazone) with or without food.
Maintain a healthy diet and regular exercise while on this medication to also help control your blood sugars.
Avandia (rosiglitazone) might cause weight gain. If you notice you've suddenly gained weight, have trouble breathing, or notice swelling in your ankles, talk to your healthcare provider right away since this could be a serious side effect.
Continue to monitor your hemoglobin A1C while taking Avandia (rosiglitazone) to check how well your blood sugar is controlled with Avandia (rosiglitazone).
Frequently asked questions about Avandia (rosiglitazone)
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What are the risks and warnings for Avandia (rosiglitazone)?
Avandia (rosiglitazone) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Heart Failure
Risk factors: Heart failure
Avandia (rosiglitazone) can cause fluid buildup that can cause or worsen heart failure. If you have advanced heart failure, talk to your provider since Avandia (rosiglitazone) may not be the best medication for you. Your provider will check your heart regularly while you're taking Avandia (rosiglitazone).
Fluid Buildup
Risk factors: Higher dose of Avandia (rosiglitazone)
Avandia (rosiglitazone) can cause fluid to build up in your body. This can cause heart failure if it's not caught in time. The risk is greater with a higher dose. Tell your provider about any unexpected or sudden weight gain, swelling in your arms or legs, or trouble breathing.
Liver Damage
Risk factors: Current liver problems
If you've had liver problems or damage in the past, talk to your provider before starting Avandia (rosiglitazone), since there's a small chance that it can hurt your liver. Tell your provider about any stomach pain that doesn't go away, dark urine, or yellowing of eyes/skin. Your provider will check your liver regularly.
Bone Fracture
Risk factors: Women | Osteoporosis
In some studies, women taking Avandia (rosiglitazone) were more likely to have bone fractures. If you're at risk because you already have weak bones or osteoporosis, talk to your provider about how to keep your bones healthy.
Low Blood Sugar
Taking Avandia (rosiglitazone) can cause you to have low blood sugar. This is more likely to happen if you're taking other medications that also lower your blood sugar. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist about the signs of low blood sugar and how to treat it. Your healthcare provider might have to change the doses of your other medications.
Greater Risk of Heart Attack
In clinical studies, Avandia (rosiglitazone) was linked to a greater risk of heart attacks in some people. Talk to your healthcare provider to discuss this risk.
Avandia (rosiglitazone) dosage forms
Typical dosing for Avandia (rosiglitazone)
The typical dose for Avandia (rosiglitazone) is 4 mg to 8 mg per day taken by mouth once daily as a single dose or it can be divided into two doses.
Interactions between Avandia (rosiglitazone) and other drugs
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Abiraterone Acetate
- Balofloxacin
- Besifloxacin
- Ceritinib
- Chloroquine
- Ciprofloxacin
- Enoxacin
- Entacapone
- Fleroxacin
- Flumequine
- Gatifloxacin
- Gemifloxacin
- Hydroxychloroquine
- Insulin
- Insulin Aspart, Recombinant
- Insulin Bovine
- Insulin Degludec
- Insulin Detemir
- Insulin Glargine, Recombinant
- Insulin Glulisine
- Insulin Lispro, Recombinant
- Lanreotide
- Letermovir
- Levofloxacin
- Lomefloxacin
- Moxifloxacin
- Nadifloxacin
- Norfloxacin
- Octreotide
- Ofloxacin
- Pasireotide
- Pazufloxacin
- Pefloxacin
- Pixantrone
- Prulifloxacin
- Rufloxacin
- Sparfloxacin
- Thioctic Acid
- Tosufloxacin
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Acebutolol
- Atenolol
- Betaxolol
- Bisoprolol
- Bitter Melon
- Carteolol
- Carvedilol
- Celiprolol
- Esmolol
- Fenofibrate
- Fenofibric Acid
- Fenugreek
- Gemfibrozil
- Glucomannan
- Guar Gum
- Labetalol
- Levobunolol
- Metipranolol
- Metoprolol
- Nadolol
- Nebivolol
- Oxprenolol
- Penbutolol
- Pindolol
- Practolol
- Propranolol
- Psyllium
- Rifampin
- Sotalol
- Timolol
- Trimethoprim
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