Type 2 Diabetes: Meglitinide Drugs
Type 2 Diabetes: Meglitinide Drugs
Brand Name (Generic Name)
Prandin (repaglinide)
Meglitinides (meh-GLIT-in-ides) are another type of diabetes medicine. Repaglinide (re-PAG-lyn-ide) is the name of a meglitinide. This medicine helps your pancreas make more insulin right after meals, which lowers blood glucose. Your doctor might prescribe repaglinide by itself or with metformin (another diabetes medicine) if one medicine alone does not control your blood glucose levels.
A good thing about repaglinide is that it works fast and your body uses it quickly. This fast action means you can vary the times you eat and the number of meals you eat more easily using repaglinide than you can using other diabetes medicines.
How often should I take repaglinide?
Your doctor will tell you to take repaglinide before you eat a meal. If you skip a meal, you should not take the dose of repaglinide.
When should I take repaglinide?
From 30 minutes before to just before a meal. Repaglinide lowers blood glucose the most 1 hour after you take it, and it is out of the bloodstream in 3 to 4 hours.
What are possible side effects of repaglinide?
hypoglycemia
weight gain
Excerpted and adapted from NIH Publication No. 03-4222.
