Actos is a prescription medicine that is licensed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This part of the eMedTV Web site explains how Actos works and further explores the effects and potential side effects of this diabetes medication.
Common side effects of Actos may include headache, muscle pain, and sore throat. This page on the eMedTV site contains a more complete list of common side effects and also lists serious side effects of Actos that require medical attention.
Side effects may occur with Actos, and weight gain is a problem that is commonly reported. This portion of the eMedTV archives explains how common weight gain is with Actos and discusses the dangers of rapid weight gain and fluid retention.
In addition to treating type 2 diabetes, Actos has lipid lowering effects. This eMedTV article discusses these effects in detail and describes the changes seen in cholesterol and triglyceride levels when a person is taking the diabetes medication.
Patients taking Actos may experience high or low blood sugar levels as a side effect of the drug. This eMedTV article discusses the relationship between Actos and blood sugar levels and lists possible symptoms of extremely high or low blood sugar.
Actos is used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes because it can help control blood sugar levels. This eMedTV page explains how the drug works, lists an off-label use for it, and discusses the use of Actos for diabetes treatment in children.
Most people start with an Actos dosage of 15 mg or 30 mg for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This part of the eMedTV Web site offers more information on Actos dosing, including tips on when and how to take the medication.
When medicines such as rifampin or atorvastatin are taken together with Actos, drug interactions may occur. This eMedTV article lists other medicines that can cause Actos drug interactions and describes the potential complications that may occur.
Actos may potentially cause fluid retention in some people. This eMedTV segment provides more Actos warnings and precautions, including an explanation of who should not take the medicine and a list of possible side effects to look out for.
Actos is not licensed to treat type 1 diabetes. This part of the eMedTV archives discusses Actos and type 1 diabetes in more detail, including an explanation of when Actos may be appropriate for type 1 diabetes treatment.
Using Actos during pregnancy may potentially be dangerous. This eMedTV segment discusses Actos and pregnancy in more detail and explains how the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers Actos a pregnancy Category C medication.
There have been few cases of overdoses with Actos, so the full effects of an Actos overdose are not known. This eMedTV page describes the clinical trials used to study the effects of large doses of Actos and also discusses overdose treatment options.
Generic Actos will not become available until at least 2011. As this eMedTV page explains, several companies are expected to produce generic Actos when its patent expires, unless circumstances arise to extend the exclusivity period.
Common Actos alternatives may include lifestyle changes or other diabetes medications. This eMedTV Web page describes these Actos alternatives in more detail and lists various oral and injectable diabetes medicines that are currently available.
