Sitagliptin

Sitagliptin, sold under the brand name Januvia among others, is an medication used to treat diabetes mellitus type 2. It is generally less preferred than metformin or a sulfonylurea. It is taken by mouth. It is also available within a single pill as metformin/sitagliptin.Additional adverse reactions have been identified during postapproval use of JANUVIA as monotherapy and/or in combination with other antihyperglycemic agents. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is generally not possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Sitagliptin, sold under the brand name Januvia among others, is an medication used to treat diabetes mellitus type 2. It is generally less preferred than metformin or a sulfonylurea. It is taken by mouth. It is also available within a single pill as metformin/sitagliptin. Common side effects include headaches, swelling of the legs, and upper respiratory tract infections. Serious side effects may include angioedema, low blood sugar, kidney problems, pancreatitis, and joint pain. Whether use in pregnancy or breastfeeding is safe is unclear. It is in the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor class and works by increasing the production of insulin and decreasing the production of glucagon by the pancreas. Sitagliptin was developed by Merck & Co. and approved for medical use in the United States in 2006. A month's supply in the United Kingdom costs the NHS about £33.26 per month as of 2019. In the United States the wholesale cost of this amount is about US$405.00. In 2016, it was the 82nd-most prescribed medication in the United States with more than 9 million prescriptions. Sitagliptin is used to treat diabetes mellitus type 2. It is generally less preferred than metformin or sulfonylureas. It is taken by mouth. It is also available within a single pill as metformin/sitagliptin. Adverse effects from sitagliptin are similar to placebo, except for rare nausea, common cold-like symptoms, and photosensitivity. It does not increase the risk of diarrhea. No significant difference exists in the occurrence of hypoglycemia between placebo and sitagliptin. In those taking sulphonylureas, the risk of low blood sugar is increased. The existence of rare case reports of renal failure and hypersensitivity reactions is noted in the United States prescribing information, but a causative role for sitagliptin has not been established. Several postmarketing reports of pancreatitis (some fatal) have been made in people treated with sitagliptin and other DPP-4 inhibitors, and the U.S. package insert carries a warning to this effect, although the causal link between sitagliptin and pancreatitis has not yet been fully substantiated. One study with lab rats published in 2009 concluded that some of the possible risks of pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer may be reduced when it is used with metformin. However, while DPP-4 inhibitors showed an increase in such risk factors, as of 2009, no increase in pancreatic cancer has been reported in individuals taking DPP-4 inhibitors.