Pioglitazone: Uses, Side Effects, and Drug Interactions

Brand names: PIOGLITAZONE HYDROCHLORIDE

# Understanding Pioglitazone Pioglitazone is a medicine used to help control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. It works by making your body's cells more sensitive to insulin, which is a natural hormone that helps control blood sugar. This medication is usually taken by mouth as a tablet and may be used alone or combined with other diabetes medicines. If you have type 2 diabetes and your doctor prescribed pioglitazone, it's an important tool to help keep your blood sugar in a healthy range. Like all medicines, pioglitazone has some safety points you should know about. You should not take it if you have certain heart or liver problems, so tell your doctor about your full medical history. Some other medicines can affect how pioglitazone works in your body—for example, the drug gemfibrozil can increase pioglitazone levels in your blood, so your doctor may need to lower your dose if you take both. Make sure to tell your doctor about all other medicines, vitamins, and supplements you're taking. If you experience unusual weight gain, shortness of breath, or swelling in your legs or feet while taking pioglitazone, contact your doctor right away, as these could be signs that you need to adjust your treatment.

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Most Reported Side Effects (FAERS)

  • BLADDER CANCER8,851 reports
  • BLOOD GLUCOSE INCREASED3,552 reports
  • NAUSEA3,093 reports
  • WEIGHT DECREASED2,191 reports
  • DIARRHOEA1,779 reports
  • DRUG INEFFECTIVE1,590 reports
  • FATIGUE1,583 reports
  • DEATH1,580 reports
  • DYSPNOEA1,537 reports
  • VOMITING1,528 reports

Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Voluntary reports do not establish causation.

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SafeCheck provides drug interaction information from FDA-approved product labeling (openFDA). This is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making medication decisions.