Patient Medication Information: uses, side effects, how to take - Van-Pioglitazone

ABOUT THIS MEDICATION

What VAN-Pioglitazone tablets are used for:

Your doctor has prescribed VAN-Pioglitazone tablets to treat type 2 diabetes, as an addition to diet and exercise, in order to improve your blood sugar control.

What Is Type 2 Diabetes?

Insulin is a hormone that the body makes to help use food for energy. There are two types of diabetes: in type 1 diabetes, the body stops producing insulin. In type 2 diabetes, the body does not respond to insulin as well as it should, and/or cannot make enough insulin on its own. When this happens, glucose (sugar) builds up in the blood. This can lead to serious medical problems, including kidney damage, eye damage, nerve damage, heart disease, or stroke. The main goal of diabetes treatment is to lower blood sugar to a normal level.

How Is Type 2 Diabetes Usually Controlled?

Treatment of type 2 diabetes must always include proper diet, exercise and weight control under the guidance of your physician.

What VAN-Pioglitazone tablets does:

VAN-Pioglitazone tablets are a member of a class of drugs that are insulin-sensitizing agents. VAN-Pioglitazone tablets help your body respond better to its own insulin, thereby reducing blood sugar levels in the body. Because VAN-Pioglitazone tablets do not cause your body to produce more insulin, it rarely causes hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) when used alone. Even if you are taking VAN-Pioglitazone tablets, you should still exercise and follow the recommended nutritional plan for your diabetes.

When VAN-Pioglitazone tablets should not be used:

VAN-Pioglitazone tablets should not be used by patients who:

have or have had heart problems or heart failure
have serious liver damage
are pregnant
are allergic to pioglitazone hydrochloride or any other
ingredients of VAN-Pioglitazone tablets
have or have had bladder cancer
have blood or a red colour in their urine

What the medicinal ingredient is:

Pioglitazone Hydrochloride

What the nonmedicinal ingredients are:

Lactose monohydrate, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose calcium, magnesium stearate.

What dosage forms it comes in:

VAN-Pioglitazone tablets are available as tablets of 15 mg, 30 mg or 45 mg.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Because VAN-Pioglitazone tablets works only in the presence of insulin, it should not be used if you have type 1 diabetes (when the pancreas does not produce insulin).

Serious side effects with VAN-Pioglitazone tablets include:

heart failure. Symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, weakness, tiredness, swelling (edema), or unusual weight gain
liver problems. Symptoms of liver problems include tiredness, lack of appetite, dark urine, yellowing of the skin or the white part of the eye
bladder cancer. Symptoms of bladder cancer include blood or a red colour in your urine, an increased need to urinate, or pain while you urinate

VAN-Pioglitazone tablets are not approved for use with metformin and a sulfonylurea, therefore VAN-Pioglitazone tablets should not be taken with metformin and a sulfonylurea.

VAN-Pioglitazone tablets are not approved for use with insulin therapy, therefore VAN-Pioglitazone tablets should not be taken with insulin.

Make sure to ask your doctor, pharmacist, or diabetes educator what to do if your blood sugar is low. Teach you friends, coworkers, and family members what they can do to help you if you have low blood sugar.

Consult your doctor promptly during periods of stress, such as fever, trauma, infection or surgery, since your medication requirements may change during these times.

Fractures, usually in the hand, upper arm or foot, have been seen with pioglitazone hydrochloride use in women. Talk to your doctor about the risk of fracture.

Before or while taking VAN-Pioglitazone tablets, talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you:

have liver disease. VAN-Pioglitazone tablets are not recommended in patients with liver disease.
are planning to become pregnant. Only insulin should be used during pregnancy to maintain blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible.
are breastfeeding
are a woman who has not reached menopause but have no menstrual periods. You may become pregnant unless you use an effective method of birth control. VAN-Pioglitazone tablets, like other drugs in this class, may cause women with insulin resistance to ovulate again.
have edema (water retention)

VAN-Pioglitazone tablets should not be used in children under 18 years of age.

INTERACTIONS WITH THIS MEDICATION

Drugs that interact with VAN-Pioglitazone tablets include:

Oral Contraception. Women using oral birth control pills should check with their doctor about the possible need to adjust the dose or use alternative methods of contraception when taking VAN-Pioglitazone tablets. Women should also inform their doctors of any changes in their monthly cycle.

VAN-Pioglitazone tablets may also interact with some other drugs such as gemfibrozil, rifampicin, nifedipine and atorvastatin calcium. Tell your doctor if you are taking these medicines.

PROPER USE OF THIS MEDICATION

Usual dose:

VAN-Pioglitazone tablets should be taken once daily without regard to meals. The initial dose is 15 or 30 mg once daily. Do not exceed 45 mg once daily.

Take your VAN-Pioglitazone tablets each day, as instructed by your doctor or pharmacist. VAN-Pioglitazone tablets can help you control your blood glucose levels only if you take it regularly. VAN-Pioglitazone tablets should generally be taken at the same time each day at whatever time you find most convenient to remember.

Your doctor has VAN-Pioglitazone tablets specifically for you. Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have a similar condition.

Overdose:

In the event of overdosage, consult your doctor, pharmacist, or contact a poison control centre immediately.

Missed Dose:

If you miss a dose of VAN-Pioglitazone tablets, do not take a double dose to make up for the missed dose. Take your dose at the regular time on the following day.

Monitoring:

Fasting blood glucose: Test your blood sugar levels
with your personal glucose meter as often as your
doctor recommends.
- Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c): This blood test is done periodically to determine the average control of your blood sugar levels.
- Liver Enzymes: Your doctor may recommend a blood test to monitor your liver function before you start VAN-Pioglitazone tablets and may repeat this test occasionally while you take VAN-Pioglitazone tablets.
- Eye: should be checked regularly. Rarely, some patients have experienced vision changes due to swelling in the back of the eye while taking VAN-Pioglitazone tablets.

SIDE EFFECTS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM

The following side effects have been commonly reported with VAN-Pioglitazone tablets (could affect up to 1 in 10 patients):

Edema (fluid retention or swelling) which could lead to heart failure. If you notice swelling in extremities (arms and legs, hands and feet), unusually rapid increase in weight, tiredness, trouble breathing or shortness of breath, call your doctor. These symptoms, although not specific, may signal heart problems or heart failure.
Dizziness, lack of energy, drowsiness, headache, trembling, sweating, or hunger may mean that your blood sugar is too low. This can happen if you skip meals, drink alcohol, use another medicine that lowers blood sugar, exercise (particularly hard or long), or if you have certain medical problems. Call your doctor if you feel that your symptoms of low blood sugar are uncomfortable. If you are using VAN-Pioglitazone tablets by itself, there is less risk of having low blood sugar.
Increased weight. Tell your doctor if you gain a lot of weight in a short period of time.

The following side effects have been reported rarely with VAN-Pioglitazone tablets (could affect up to 1 in 1000 patients):

Liver problems. If you experience nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, lack of appetite, tiredness, dark urine, or yellowing of the skin, stop taking VAN-Pioglitazone tablets and call your doctor right away.
Breakthrough bleeding (unexpected vaginal bleeding or spotting) while using oral contraceptives, or generally, if you experience any symptoms that persist or become troublesome, these should be discussed with your doctor.
Blurred vision due to swelling (or fluid) in the back of the eye.
Fractures, usually in the hand, upper arm or foot, have been seen with VAN-Pioglitazone tablets use in women. Talk to your doctor about the risk of fracture.
Bladder cancer. If you experience blood or a red colour in your urine, an increased need to urinate, or pain while you urinate, stop taking VAN-Pioglitazone tablets and call your doctor right away.

	In case of drug overdose, contact a health care practitioner,
	hospital emergency department or regional Poison Control
	Centre immediately, even if there are no symptoms.

The following side effects have been reported very rarely with VAN-Pioglitazone tablets (could affect up to 1 in 10,000 patients):

Heart failure or pulmonary edema (fluid accumulation in
the lungs). Symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, getting tired easily after light physical activity such as walking, waking up short of breath at night and swollen ankles or feet. Symptoms of fluid in the lungs are breathlessness, which may be very severe and usually worsens on lying down. Stop taking VAN-Pioglitazone tablets and call your doctor right away if you experience these symptoms.
Anemia (low red blood cell count) which may make you
feel very weak or tired.
Swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat (which
may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing); hives or rash (which may be itchy). Stop taking VAN-Pioglitazone tablets and call your doctor right away if you experience these symptoms.

SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS, HOW OFTEN THEY
HAPPENAND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM
Symptom / effect		Talk with your		Stop taking VAN- Pioglitazone tablets and seek immediate emergency medical attention
Symptom / effect		Only if severe	In all cases
Common	Fluid retention or swelling in extremities (arms and legs, hands and feet)		√
Common (when taken with other antidiabetic medicines)	Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia): Dizziness, lack of energy, drowsiness, headache, trembling sweating, hunger	√
Rare	Liver problems: nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, lack of appetite, tiredness, dark urine, or yellowing of the skin			√
	Blurred vision or decreased vision [which may be due to swelling (or fluid) in the back of the eye].			√
	Fractures, usually in the hand, upper arm or foot, in women.		√
	Bladder cancer: blood or red colour in urine, increased need to urinate, pain while you urinate			√

Very rare

Heart failure or fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema): trouble

breathing or shortness of breath, getting tired easily after light

physical activity, unusual tiredness, waking up short of breath at night,

swollen ankles or feet, unusually rapid

increase in weight

√

Allergic reactions: swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat (may cause difficulty in

swallowing or

breathing), hives or rash

√

This is not a complete list of side effects. For any unexpected effects while taking VAN-Pioglitazone tablets, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

HOW TO STORE VAN-PIOGLITAZONE TABLETS

Store VAN-Pioglitazone tablets in its bottle with the cap tightly closed at room temperature (15°C-30°C). Protect from moisture and humidity.

REPORTING SUSPECTED SIDE EFFECTS

You can report any suspected adverse reactions associated with the use of health products to the Canada Vigilance Program by one of the following 3 ways:

Report online at www.healthcanada.gc.ca/medeffect
Call toll-free at 1- 866-234-2345
Complete a Canada Vigilance Reporting Form and:
- Fax toll-free to 1-866-678-6789, or
- Mail to: Canada Vigilance Program
  Health Canada
  Postal Locator 0701E
  Ottawa, Ontario
  K1A 0K9

Postage paid labels, Canada Vigilance Reporting Form and the adverse reaction reporting guidelines are available on the MedEffect^TMCanada Web site at www.healthcanada.gc.ca/medeffect.

NOTE: Should you require information related to the management of side effects, contact your health professional. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.

MORE INFORMATION

This document plus the full product monograph, prepared for health professionals can be found by contacting at:

Manufacturer and Distributor:

Vanc Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Building 152, 11782 River Road

Richmond, BC V6X 1Z7

www.vancpharm.com

Help line: 1-877-929-0699

Email: safety@vancpharm.com

Van-Pioglitazone: Uses, Side Effects and Dosage