Duetact Uses

Many people with type 2 diabetes find that the condition can be successfully treated with Duetact. Uses of the medication specifically include the improvement of insulin sensitivity and the production of insulin. These effects can help lower and control blood sugar levels. Currently, there are no approved Duetact uses for children, nor can the medication be used alone to treat type 1 diabetes.

 

An Overview of Duetact Uses

Duetact® (pioglitazone and glimepiride) is a prescription medication that is used to treat type 2 diabetes. It is a combination of two different diabetes drugs: pioglitazone hydrochloride (Actos®) and glimepiride (Amaryl®). Duetact is often used when diabetes cannot be controlled by diet and exercise alone.
 

Duetact Uses for Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes (see
 Diabetes Types). It is also sometimes called adult-onset diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a condition involving insulin resistance. With insulin resistance, the body's cells do not respond to insulin as well as they normally should. As a result, the cells do not take sugar out of the blood very well. This is why people with type 2 diabetes have high blood sugar.
 
Over time, high blood sugar can lead to a number of problems, including diabetic impotence, diabetic neuropathy, kidney failure, and heart disease (see Diabetes Complications). The cause of type 2 diabetes is not fully understood, although it is known that obesity and genetics play an important role.
 
Duetact is used for treating type 2 diabetes in people who cannot lower blood sugar through lifestyle changes alone (such as weight loss, diet, and exercise). The two medications in Duetact work differently and have different effects in the body:
 
  • Pioglitazone is part of a group of medications called thiazolidinediones (or sometimes called "glitazones"). It helps to improve insulin sensitivity, meaning that it helps your body use its natural insulin better. This helps to lower blood sugar and keep it under better control.
     
  • Glimepiride is part of a class of diabetes medications known as sulfonylureas (see Duetact Alternatives). As a sulfonylurea, glimepiride helps the pancreas produce more insulin. It may also help cells respond to insulin better. Because of these effects, blood sugar levels decrease.
     
(Duetact Uses Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;