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| Pronunciation |
|
 (na
TEG li
nide) |
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| Brand Names |
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| Starlix® |
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| Therapeutic
Categories |
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|
Antidiabetic Agent |
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| Reasons not to take this
medicine |
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|
- If you have an allergy to nateglinide or any other part of the
medicine.
- If you have type 1 diabetes or insulin dependent diabetes.
- If you have had an acid condition in the blood called diabetic
ketoacidosis.
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| What is this medicine used
for? |
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|
- This medicine is used to lower blood sugar in diabetic patients. It is
used in type 2 or non-insulin dependent diabetes. It can be used alone or in
combination with another diabetes medicine called
metformin.
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| How does it work? |
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|
- Nateglinide increases insulin secretion from the pancreas. The
pancreas makes insulin. The insulin helps the body handle and use the sugar in
the blood after a meal.
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| How is it best taken? |
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- Take 1-30 minutes before each meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
- If a meal is missed then skip that dose too.
- Follow diet plan and exercise program as recommended by healthcare
provider.
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| What do I do if I miss a
dose? |
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- If you miss a dose then skip the missed one. Return to your regular
schedule.
- Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
- Do not change dose or stop taking medicine without talking with
healthcare provider.
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| What are the precautions when
taking this
medicine? |
|
|
- Wear disease medical alert identification for diabetes.
- If you have been taking a medicine called a sulfonylurea for diabetes
tell your healthcare provider. Some examples include glyburide, glipizide, and
glimepiride. Patients on a sulfonylurea do not get any extra benefit by adding
nateglinide.
- Certain medicines may increase your blood sugar and certain ones may
increase the risk of developing very low blood sugars. Talk with healthcare
provider.
- If you are 80 years of age or older, you may be more sensitive to low
blood sugars.
- Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor).
- Keep hard candies, liquid glucose, or milk on hand for low blood
sugars.
- Do not drive if blood sugar has been low. There is a greater risk of
an accident.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make
sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling
about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of
face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting
pregnant.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are
breast-feeding.
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| What are the common side effects
of this
medicine? |
|
|
- Lung infections.
- Back pain.
- Dizziness. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities that require
you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects you.
- Flu-like symptoms.
- Weight gain.
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| What should I monitor? |
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- Check blood sugar as ordered by healthcare provider. Call if glucose
is less than 80 mg/dL or greater than 250 mg/dL. Bring results to follow-up
visits.
- Watch for low blood sugar. Causes anger, shaking, rapid heartbeats,
confusion, sweating.
- Watch for high blood sugar. Causes many trips to the bathroom, thirst,
and weight loss.
- Check blood work. Talk with healthcare provider.
- Weight.
- Have a yearly eye exam and visit to the foot
doctor.
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| Reasons to call healthcare
provider
immediately |
|
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- Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing;
tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits;
swelling of face, lips, tongue, throat.
- Signs and symptoms of infection.
- Low blood sugar or very high blood sugar.
- Any rash.
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| How should I store this
medicine? |
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- Store at room
temperature.
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| General statements |
|
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- Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's
medicine.
- Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
- Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements,
vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider
(doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
- Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine,
including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs,
vitamins).
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