Lixisenatide for diabetes

About lixisenatide

La insulina es una hormona que se produce de forma natural en el páncreas. Ayuda a controlar los niveles de azúcar (glucosa) en la sangre. Si el organismo no produce suficiente insulina o no utiliza eficazmente la que produce, se produce la diabetes (diabetes mellitus).

People with diabetes need treatment to control the amount of sugar in their blood. This is because good control of blood sugar levels reduces the risk of complications later on. Some people can control the sugar in their blood by making changes to the food they eat but, for other people, medicines are given alongside the changes in diet. Lixisenatide is one of the medicines that are prescribed for people with type 2 diabetes.

Lixisenatide works in three ways. It increases the amount of insulin produced by your body which then reduces the level of sugar in your blood. It also reduces the amount of a substance called glucagon being produced by your pancreas. Glucagon causes your liver to produce more sugar, so by reducing the amount of glucagon in your body, this also helps to reduce the levels of sugar in your blood. Lixisenatide also works on your stomach so that food passes more slowly through it. This means that the sugar from your meals takes longer to get into your blood.

Lixisenatide is given as an injection just under the surface of the skin. It is administered using an injection device called a pre-filled pen. It is used in addition to other antidiabetic medicines.

Before taking lixisenatide

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking lixisenatide it is important that your doctor knows:

• Si está embarazada, esperando un bebé o en período de lactancia.

• Si tiene algún problema estomacal o digestivo.

• Si tiene algún problema con el funcionamiento de sus riñones.

• Si está tomando otros medicamentos. Esto incluye cualquier medicamento que esté tomando y que pueda adquirirse sin receta, así como medicamentos a base de plantas y complementarios.

• Si alguna vez ha tenido una reacción alérgica a un medicamento.

How to take lixisenatide

• Antes de iniciar el tratamiento, lea el prospecto impreso del fabricante que se encuentra en el interior del envase, así como cualquier información que le facilite su médico o clínica de diabetes. El prospecto del fabricante le proporcionará una lista completa de los efectos secundarios que puede experimentar.

• Use lixisenatide exactly as your doctor tells you to. Your doctor or diabetes nurse will show you how to use the pre-filled pen to inject yourself. Lixisenatide should be injected into the skin on your upper arms, thigh, or tummy (abdomen). Try to choose a slightly different injection site for each of your injections as this will help to prevent skin problems and difficulties in injecting.

• Use lixisenatide once a day. You should use it during the hour before you eat a meal (usually before breakfast or the evening meal). Although you can choose which meal to inject before, you should use lixisenatide before the same meal on each day. You will start on a dose of 10 micrograms daily for two weeks, then the dose will be increased to 20 micrograms daily. To make this easy for you, it is likely you will be prescribed a 'treatment initiation pack' which contains a two-week supply of 10 microgram doses (green pre-filled pen) and a two-week supply of 20 micrograms (purple pre-filled pen).

• If you forget to use lixisenatide before your usual meal, use it before your next meal instead. Do not inject lixisenatide after you have eaten.

Aproveche al máximo su tratamiento

• Es importante que acuda regularmente a las citas médicas y clínicas. Así podremos controlar su evolución. Necesitará revisiones periódicas en una clínica oftalmológica y podológica, así como con su médico y la clínica de diabetes.

• Su médico puede recomendarle que se haga análisis de azúcar (glucosa) en sangre u orina con regularidad para comprobar que su diabetes está controlada. Su médico o enfermera especializada en diabetes le enseñarán cómo hacerlo.

• Si su médico le ha aconsejado hacer cambios en la dieta, dejar de fumar o hacer ejercicio con regularidad, es importante que siga sus consejos.

• Make sure you know what it feels like if your blood sugar is low. This is known as hypoglycaemia, or a 'hypo'. Using lixisenatide alongside insulin or other medicines for type 2 diabetes may cause low blood sugar. The first signs of hypoglycaemia are feeling shaky or anxious, sweating, looking pale, feeling hungry, having a feeling that your heart is pounding (palpitations), and feeling dizzy. If this happens, eat something containing sugar, such as dextrose tablets, jelly babies or a sugary drink (non-diet), and then follow this up with a snack such as a sandwich or a banana.

• Si es usted conductor, debe tener especial cuidado, ya que su capacidad de concentración puede verse afectada si su diabetes no está bien controlada. Es posible que le aconsejen que compruebe sus niveles de azúcar en sangre antes de viajar y que lleve un tentempié en los viajes largos.

• No beba alcohol, ya que puede afectar al control de su azúcar en sangre. Consulte a su médico si necesita más información al respecto.

• Si tiene una sed inusual, orina con más frecuencia de lo normal o se siente muy cansado, debe comunicárselo a su médico. Estos son signos de que tiene demasiada azúcar en la sangre y puede ser necesario ajustar el tratamiento.

• Consulte a su médico antes de realizar cualquier ejercicio físico nuevo, ya que tendrá un efecto sobre sus niveles de azúcar en sangre y es posible que deba comprobar sus niveles en sangre u orina con mayor regularidad.

• Si va a someterse a una operación o a un tratamiento dental, debe informar a la persona que vaya a realizar el tratamiento de que padece diabetes y darle una lista de los medicamentos que está tomando.

• Este medicamento no debe utilizarse durante el embarazo. Las mujeres y niñas en edad fértil deben utilizar métodos anticonceptivos eficaces durante el tratamiento y durante los dos meses siguientes a la interrupción del mismo.

• If you buy any medicines, always check with a pharmacist that they are suitable for you to take. Lixisenatide can interfere with the way some other medicines are absorbed which stops them from working properly. Because of this, some medicines should not be taken during the hour before lixisenatide is given, or during the four hours after it has been given.

• Treatment for diabetes is usually lifelong. Continue with lixisenatide unless you are told otherwise by your doctor.

Can lixisenatide cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with lixisenatide. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Si experimenta cualquier otro síntoma que crea que puede deberse a las inyecciones, hable con su médico o farmacéutico para que le aconsejen.

How to store lixisenatide

• Mantenga todos los medicamentos fuera del alcance y de la vista de los niños.

• Lixisenatide can be kept for 14 days at room temperature, as long as this is below 30°C and it is kept away from direct heat and sunlight. It is, however, best to store your unopened packs in a refrigerator. Do not freeze lixisenatide.

• The pre-filled pens must be discarded 14 days after being first used.

Información importante sobre todos los medicamentos