Steglatro (ertugliflozin) is used together with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. It's convenient because it only needs to be taken once per day, but Steglatro (ertugliflozin) is only available as a brand medication so it can be expensive.
Type 2 diabetes
Steglatro (ertugliflozin) is a sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor that works by lowering the amount of sugar that gets absorbed back into your body through your kidneys. This allows your body to get rid of excess sugar through the urine, which Steglatro (ertugliflozin) helps lower your blood sugar.
Source: DailyMed
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
Only needs to be taken once a day
Can be taken with or without meals
Might cause weight loss instead of weight gain as seen in other diabetes medications
Can be expensive because it's only available as a brand medication
Can't be taken for type 1 diabetes
Not for people with severe kidney problems
Not for people who drink a lot of alcohol
Take Steglatro (ertugliflozin) with or without food. Food doesn't affect the absorption of the medication.
Continue to follow your diet and exercise plan while taking Steglatro (ertugliflozin).
Drink plenty of fluids while taking Steglatro (ertugliflozin) to avoid dehydration. Dehydration can raise the risk of low blood pressure, and can make you feel dizzy, faint, lightheaded, or weak.
Since Steglatro (ertugliflozin) can raise the risk of amputations, it's important to check your feet often to make sure you don't have any infections.
Let your provider know if your body is going through periods of stress, such as fever, injury, infection, or surgery. These conditions can affect how Steglatro (ertugliflozin) works in your body, so your provider might adjust your dose.
Let your provider know right away if you lower your food intake, especially during an illness or fasting, or if you lose more fluids, especially during vomiting, diarrhea, or excessive sweating. These conditions can raise your risk of kidney damage, so your provider might have you stop Steglatro (ertugliflozin) temporarily.
Don't ignore any signs of urinary or genital infections. Let your provider know if you get symptoms of urinary pain, such as urinary burning, blood in the urine, vaginal or penile odor, white or yellowish vaginal or penile discharge, vaginal or penile itching, or pain in the skin around the penis, so you can get proper treatment right away.
Let your provider know if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding so they can help you find a safer medication because Steglatro (ertugliflozin) might harm your baby.
Steglatro (ertugliflozin) 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.
Risk factors: Kidney problems | Older adults | Low blood pressure | Taking diuretics
Steglatro (ertugliflozin) can cause fluid loss, which might lead to low blood pressure. Let your provider know if you have symptoms of low blood pressure, such as dizziness, lightheadedness, tiredness, or blurred vision.
Risk factors: Taking high doses | Lowering your insulin dose | Sudden fever | Lower calorie intake | Surgery | Pancreatic problems | Alcohol abuse
Rarely, Steglatro (ertugliflozin) can cause a serious condition called ketoacidosis, which is when your body produces high levels of ketones. Stop taking this medication and seek medical help right away if you start experiencing severe dehydration, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, tiredness, and shortness of breath.
Risk factors: Low blood volume | Long-term kidney problems | Heart problems | Taking diuretics, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, NSAIDs
Steglatro (ertugliflozin) can cause fluid loss, which might lead to kidney damage. This is more likely to happen if you already have low blood volume, long-term kidney problems, heart problems, or if you're taking certain medications like diuretics, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, or NSAIDs. Let your provider know if your diet changes drastically, like fasting, or if you lose a lot of fluids, like during diarrhea, vomiting, or excessive sweating. Due to the risk of kidney problems, your provider might monitor your kidney function before starting Steglatro (ertugliflozin) and periodically throughout your treatment. Let your provider know right away if experience symptoms of low urine production, swelling in the legs, nausea, tiredness, or shortness of breath.
Risk factors: History of urinary tract infections | History of genital yeast infections | Uncircumcised males
Steglatro (ertugliflozin) can raise the risk of urinary tract infections, genital yeast infections, and flesh-eating bacterial genital infections (called Fournier's gangrene). Fournier's gangrene is a serious, life-threatening infection that can require hospitalization, surgery, and can lead to death. Let your provider know right away if you experience symptoms of a urinary tract infection (e.g., pain or burning while urinating, urinating often, blood in your urine, or itching), or genital infections (e.g., fever or itching, pain, tenderness, redness, or swelling in the genital area). Get emergency medical help right away if you develop pain, tenderness, swelling, or redness around your anus or genitals, as well as a fever above 100.4ºF or if you feel very weak, tired, or uncomfortable.
Risk factors: History of previous amputation | Narrowed blood vessels | History of blood circulation problems | Foot ulcers | Male | High baseline A1C | Taking diuretics (water pills) or insulin
Although rare, Steglatro (ertugliflozin) can raise your risk of amputations in the lower legs, especially the toes or feet. Pay extra attention to your legs and feet while taking Steglatro (ertugliflozin), and let your provider know if you have any signs and symptoms of infections, such as new pain, tenderness, sores, or ulcers in your legs or feet.
Risk factors: Insulin use | Taking sulfonylureas or glinides | Older adults | Alcohol use | Malnourished
Steglatro (ertugliflozin) can cause low blood sugar when taken together with insulin or medications that raise insulin levels (e.g., sulfonylureas or glinides). Symptoms of low blood sugar include headache, sleepiness, hunger, irritation, dizziness, confusion, sweating, shakiness, weakness, or fast heartbeat. Your provider might lower the dose of your medications that affect your insulin levels to lower the risk of low blood sugar.
The typical starting dose of Steglatro (ertugliflozin) is 5 mg by mouth once daily in the morning with or without food. Your provider might raise your dose depending on how you respond to the medication. The maximum dose is 15 mg once daily.
Severe kidney problems
End-stage kidney disease (ESRD)
Dialysis
Type 2 diabetes
Lowering the risk of major heart events (e.g., heart attack, stroke) in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease
Lowering the risk of hospitalization for heart failure, death due to heart problems, and worsening of kidney problems in certain adults with Type 2 diabetes and diabetic kidney disease
Type 2 diabetes (in addition to diet and exercise) in people age 10 years and older
Lowering the risk of death due to heart problems in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease
Lowering the risk of hospitalization and death due to heart problems in adults with heart failure
Lowering the risk of worsening kidney problems, hospitalization, and death due to heart problems in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD)
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