Alogliptin

Alogliptin is a prescription medicine used in adults with type 2 diabetes. This medication belongs to a group of drugs called DPP-4 inhibitors. It works by increasing the amount of insulin produced by the body after meals when blood sugar is high.

This medication comes in tablet form. It is usually taken once daily, with or without food.

Common side effects of alogliptin include stuffy or runny nose and sore throat, and headache.

Alogliptin is a prescription medicine used along with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar (glucose) control in adults with type 2 diabetes.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Alogliptin may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Nesina

The most common side effects of alogliptin include:

• stuffy or runny nose and sore throat
• headache
• cold-like symptoms (upper respiratory tract infection)

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

These are not all the possible side effects of alogliptin. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Serious side effects have been reported with alogliptin. See "Drug Precautions" section.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

No significant drug interactions have been identified, however, you should tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Not all drug interactions are known or reported and new drug interactions are continually being reported.

Serious side effects can happen to people taking alogliptin, including inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) which may be severe. Certain medical conditions make you more likely to get pancreatitis. 

Before you start taking alogliptin tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• pancreatitis
• stones in your gallbladder (gallstones)
• a history of alcoholism
• kidney problems
• liver problems

Stop taking alogliptin and call your doctor right away if you have pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that is severe and will not go away. The pain may be felt going from your abdomen through to your back. The pain may happen with or without vomiting. These may be symptoms of pancreatitis.

Alogliptin can cause other serious side effects, including:

• Severe and persistent joint pain. If you experience severe and persistent joint pain, contact your doctor right away. Do not stop taking your medication. Your doctor will decide if your medication is the possible cause of severe  joint pain and will discontinue the drug if appropriate.
• Allergic (hypersensitivity) reactions, such as:
  • swelling of your face, lips, throat, and other areas on your skin
  • difficulty with swallowing or breathing
  • raised, red areas on your skin (hives)
  • skin rash, itching, flaking, or peeling

If you have an allergic reaction, stop taking alogliptin and contact your doctor right away.

• Liver problems. Call your doctor right away if you have unexplained symptoms, such as:
  • nausea or vomiting
  • stomach pain
  • unusual or unexplained tiredness
  • loss of appetite
  • dark urine
  • yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). If you take alogliptin with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar, such as a sulfonylurea or insulin, your risk of getting low blood sugar is higher. The dose of your sulfonylurea medicine or insulin may need to be lowered while you take alogliptin. If you have symptoms of low blood sugar, you should check your blood sugar and treat if low, and then call your doctor. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar include:
  • shaking or feeling jittery
  • sweating
  • hunger
  • headache
  • change in mood
  • fast heartbeat
  • change in vision
  • confusion
  • dizziness

Do not take alogliptin if you:

Are allergic to any ingredients in alogliptin or have had a serious allergic (hypersensitivity) reaction to alogliptin. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction to alogliptin may include:

• swelling of your face, lips, throat, and other areas on your skin
• difficulty with swallowing or breathing
• raised, red areas on your skin (hives)
• skin rash, itching, flaking, or peeling

If you have any of these symptoms, stop taking alogliptin and contact your doctor or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of alogliptin there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving alogliptin.

Before you take alogliptin, tell your doctor if you:

• have or have had inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis)
• have kidney or liver problems
• have other medical conditions
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Alogliptin falls into category B. Studies in animals have failed to demonstrate a risk to the unborn baby and there are no well-controlled studies in pregnant women. It is not known how alogliptin will affect the unborn child.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if alogliptin is excreted in human breast milk or if it will harm your nursing baby.

• Take alogliptin exactly as your doctor tells you to take it.
• Take alogliptin 1 time each day with or without food.
• If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If you do not remember until it is time for your next dose, skip the missed dose, and take the next dose at your regular time. Do not take 2 doses of alogliptin at the same time.
• If you take too much alogliptin, call your doctor or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.
• If your body is under stress, such as from fever, infection, accident, or surgery, the dose of your diabetes medicines may need to be changed. Call your doctor right away.
• Stay on your diet and exercise programs and check your blood sugar as your doctor tells you to.
• Your doctor may do certain blood tests before you start alogliptin and during treatment as needed. Your doctor may change your dose of alogliptin based on the results of your blood tests due to how well your kidneys are working.
• Your doctor will check your diabetes with regular blood tests, including your blood sugar levels and your hemoglobin A1C.

Take alogliptin exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The recommended alogliptin dose is 25 mg once daily. Your doctor may decide to lower your dose if you have kidney disease.

If you take too much alogliptin, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If alogliptin is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

• Store alogliptin tablets at room temperature between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F).
• Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.