Type 2 Diabetes: Thiazolidinedione Drugs

Brand Name (Generic Name)

Actos (pioglitazone)
Avandia (rosiglitazone)

Note: Troglitazone (Rezulin) was withdrawn from the market in March 2000.

Thiazolidinediones (THIGH-ah-ZO-li-deen-DYE-owns) help make your cells more sensitive to insulin. The insulin can then move glucose from your blood into your cells for energy.

How often should I take pioglitazone or rosiglitazone?

• Pioglitazone(py-oh-GLIT-uh-zone): Usually once a day.
• Rosiglitazone (rose-ee-GLIT-uh-zone): Either once or twice a day.

When should I take pioglitazone or rosiglitazone?

• Pioglitazone: At about the same time each day, with or without a meal.
• Rosiglitazone: At about the same time each day, usually in the morning, with or without a meal. Or in the morning and in the evening, with or without meals.

What are the possible side effects of pioglitazone or rosiglitazone?

• If you take pioglitazone or rosiglitazone, it is important for your health care provider to check your liver enzyme levels regularly. Call your doctor right away if you have any signs of liver disease: nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, lack of appetite, tiredness, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, or dark-colored urine.

(Some people who took troglitazone (Rezulin), another thiazolidinedione, have had serious liver problems. Troglitazone is no longer available.)

• Medicines in this group don't cause blood glucose to drop too low. But if you take other diabetes medicines along with medicines in this group, your blood glucose might drop too low.
• If you take birth control pills, medicines in this group might make your birth control pills less effective in preventing pregnancy. These medicines may increase your chances of getting pregnant.
• You may gain weight while taking these medicines.
• You may be at risk for developing anemia (uh-NEE-mee-ah), which will make you feel tired. Anemia causes your blood to carry less oxygen (OX-ih-jen) than normal.
• You may have swelling in your legs or your ankles, also called edema (eh-DEE-mah).

Are other diabetes medicines used with thiazolidinediones?

Yes, your health care provider may ask you to take another diabetes medicine along with a thiazolidinedione. Or you may take a thiazolidinedione as your only diabetes medicine. These combinations work well together to control blood glucose:

• pioglitazone with a sulfonylurea,
• metformin, or insulin
• rosiglitazone with metformin