Key takeaways
Pioglitazone (Actos) and glucagon (Baqsimi) are both medications used to help manage blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, but they work in different ways and are used for different purposes. Pioglitazone is a once-daily thiazolidinedione (TZD) used to treat Type 2 diabetes. In contrast, glucagon is a nasal spray used in emergencies to quickly raise blood sugar levels in people experiencing severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). While pioglitazone is available in generic form, glucagon is not. Pioglitazone can cause side effects like weight gain and swelling and may worsen heart failure, while glucagon can cause watery eyes and a stuffy or runny nose. Pioglitazone can raise your risk for low blood sugar when taken with insulin or sulfonylureas (glipizide, glimepiride), whereas glucagon is used to treat low blood sugar emergencies. Pioglitazone is not recommended for people with heart failure or bladder cancer, while glucagon should be avoided if you have certain tumors like pheochromocytoma or insulinoma.
