Description and Brand Names

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

US Brand Name

  1. Nesina

Descriptions


Alogliptin is used together with proper diet and exercise to treat high blood sugar levels caused by type 2 diabetes. Alogliptin helps to control blood sugar levels by increasing substances in the body that make the pancreas release more insulin. It also signals the liver to stop producing sugar (glucose) when there is too much sugar in the blood. This medicine does not help patients who have insulin-dependent or type 1 diabetes.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

  • Tablet

Before Using

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of alogliptin in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of alogliptin in the elderly.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Abiraterone Acetate
  • Chloroquine
  • Chlorothiazide
  • Chlorpropamide
  • Chlorthalidone
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • Cyclosporine
  • Delafloxacin
  • Enoxacin
  • Furosemide
  • Gatifloxacin
  • Gemifloxacin
  • Glimepiride
  • Glipizide
  • Glyburide
  • Grepafloxacin
  • Hydrochlorothiazide
  • Hydroflumethiazide
  • Hydroxychloroquine
  • Indapamide
  • Insulin
  • Insulin Aspart, Recombinant
  • Insulin Bovine
  • Insulin Degludec
  • Insulin Detemir
  • Insulin Glargine, Recombinant
  • Insulin Glulisine
  • Insulin Lispro, Recombinant
  • Lanreotide Acetate
  • Levofloxacin
  • Lomefloxacin
  • Metformin
  • Metolazone
  • Moxifloxacin
  • Nateglinide
  • Norfloxacin
  • Octreotide Acetate
  • Ofloxacin
  • Pasireotide Diaspartate
  • Polythiazide
  • Pramlintide
  • Repaglinide
  • Repotrectinib
  • Somatrogon-ghla
  • Sparfloxacin
  • Thioctic Acid
  • Tolazamide
  • Tolbutamide
  • Triamterene
  • Trovafloxacin

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Acebutolol
  • Atenolol
  • Betaxolol
  • Bisoprolol
  • Carteolol
  • Carvedilol
  • Celiprolol
  • Esmolol
  • Glecaprevir
  • Labetalol
  • Levobunolol
  • Metipranolol
  • Metoprolol
  • Nadolol
  • Nebivolol
  • Oxprenolol
  • Penbutolol
  • Pibrentasvir
  • Pindolol
  • Practolol
  • Propranolol
  • Sotalol
  • Timolol

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

  • Alcohol, excessive use of or
  • Gallbladder stones or
  • Pancreas problems, history of—Use with caution. May increase risk for getting pancreatitis (swelling and inflammation of the pancreas).
  • Angioedema (swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat, arms, or legs), history with this dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors—Use with caution. May increase the risk of this condition occurring again with this medicine.
  • Fever or
  • Infection or
  • Surgery or
  • Trauma—Use with caution. These conditions may cause problems with blood sugar control.
  • Heart failure, history of or
  • Kidney disease, history of—Use with caution. May increase the risk of serious side effects.
  • Kidney disease, moderate or severe—Use with caution. The effects may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body.
  • Liver disease—Use with caution. May make this condition worse.
  • Type 1 diabetes—Should not be used in patients with this condition.

Proper Use

Take this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of side effects.

This medicine should come with a Medication Guide. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.

Carefully follow the special meal plan your doctor gave you. This is the most important part of controlling your diabetes, and is necessary if the medicine is to work properly. Exercise regularly and test for sugar in your blood or urine as directed.

You may take this medicine with or without food. Do not split the tablet.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

  • For oral dosage form (tablets):
    • For type 2 diabetes:
      • Adults—25 milligrams (mg) once a day.
      • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits, especially during the first few weeks that you take this medicine. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, angioedema, or certain skin conditions (eg, Stevens-Johnson syndrome), which can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, chest tightness, chills, cough, diarrhea, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, fast heartbeat, hives, itching, skin rash, joint or muscle pain, large, hive-like swelling on face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs, puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue, red irritated eyes, red skin lesions, often with a purple center, sore throat, sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips, or unusual tiredness or weakness while you are using this medicine.

Pancreatitis (swelling and inflammation of the pancreas) may occur while you are using this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you have a sudden and severe stomach pain, chills, constipation, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fever, or lightheadedness.

Check with your doctor right away if you have chest pain or tightness, decreased urine output, dilated neck veins, extreme fatigue, irregular breathing, irregular heartbeat, swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs, trouble breathing, or weight gain. These may be signs of heart failure.

Check with your doctor right away if you have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be symptoms of a serious liver problem.

This medicine may cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). This is more common when this medicine is taken together with certain medicines. Low blood sugar must be treated before it causes you to pass out (unconsciousness).. People feel different symptoms of low blood sugar. It is important that you learn which symptoms you usually have so you can treat it quickly. Some symptoms of low blood sugar include: behavior changes that are similar to being drunk, blurred vision, cold sweats, confusion, cool, pale skin, difficulty with thinking, drowsiness, excessive hunger, a fast heartbeat, headaches that continue, nausea, shakiness, slurred speech, or unusual tiredness or weakness. Talk to your doctor about how to treat low blood sugar..

Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) may occur if you do not take enough or skip a dose of your medicine, overeat or do not follow your meal plan, have a fever or infection, or do not exercise as much as usual. High blood sugar can be very serious and must be treated right away. It is important that you learn which symptoms you have in order to treat it quickly. Talk to your doctor about the best way to treat high blood sugar.

It is very important to carefully follow any instructions from your health care team about:

  • Alcohol—Drinking alcohol may cause severe low blood sugar. Discuss this with your health care team.
  • Other medicines—Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This especially includes nonprescription medicines, such as aspirin, and medicines for appetite control, asthma, colds, cough, hay fever, or sinus problems.
  • Counseling—Other family members need to learn how to prevent side effects or help with side effects if they occur. Also, patients with diabetes may need special counseling about the changes in the dosing of their diabetes medicine that might occur with lifestyle changes, such as changes in exercise or diet. Furthermore, counseling on contraception and pregnancy may be needed, because of the problems that can occur in patients with diabetes during pregnancy.
  • Travel—Keep a recent prescription and your medical history with you. Be prepared for an emergency as you would normally. Make allowances for changing time zones and keep your meal times as close as possible to your usual meal times.
  • In case of emergency—There may be a time when you need emergency help for a problem caused by your diabetes. You need to be prepared for these emergencies. It is a good idea to wear a medical identification (ID) bracelet or neck chain at all times. Also, carry an ID card in your wallet or purse that says you have diabetes and that lists all of your medicines.

This medicine may cause severe and disabling joint pain. Call your doctor right away if you have severe joint pain while using this medicine.

This medicine may cause bullous pemphigoid. Tell your doctor right away if you have large, hard skin blisters while you are using this medicine.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Side Effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

  1. Anxiety
  2. blurred vision
  3. chills
  4. cold sweats
  5. coma
  6. confusion
  7. cool, pale skin
  8. depression
  9. dizziness
  10. fast heartbeat
  11. headache
  12. increased hunger
  13. nausea
  14. nightmares
  15. seizures
  16. shakiness
  17. slurred speech
  18. unusual tiredness or weakness

Less common

  1. Chest pain or tightness
  2. decreased urine output
  3. dilated neck veins
  4. irregular heartbeat
  5. swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs
  6. trouble breathing
  7. weight gain

Rare

  1. Blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
  2. bloating
  3. constipation
  4. cough
  5. dark-colored urine
  6. diarrhea
  7. difficulty with swallowing
  8. feeling of discomfort
  9. fever
  10. general feeling of tiredness or weakness
  11. headache
  12. hives, itching, or rash
  13. indigestion
  14. inflammation of the joints
  15. joint or muscle pain
  16. large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
  17. light-colored stools
  18. loss of appetite
  19. muscle aches
  20. pains in the stomach, side, or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back
  21. puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
  22. red skin lesions, often with a purple center
  23. red, irritated eyes
  24. sore throat
  25. sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips
  26. stomach pain, continuing
  27. swollen lymph glands
  28. vomiting
  29. yellow eyes or skin

Incidence not known

  1. Redness of the skin
  2. severe joint pain
  3. swelling of the body

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common

  1. Body aches or pain
  2. ear congestion
  3. loss of voice
  4. sneezing
  5. stuffy or runny nose

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Portions of this document last updated: April 01, 2024

Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/alogliptin-oral-route/description/drg-20060796