Available by prescription only, Januvia
® (
sitagliptin) is a drug used to lower blood sugar levels in people with
type 2 diabetes. It comes in tablet form and is taken once a day.
The medication belongs to a class of drugs known as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. DPP-4 is an enzyme that breaks down incretin hormones. As a DPP-4 inhibitor, the drug slows down the breakdown of incretin hormones, increasing the level of these hormones in the body. With this increase in hormones, more
insulin -- and less sugar -- is produced in the body.
Because incretin hormones are more active in response to higher blood sugar levels and are less active in response to low blood sugar, the risk of dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is low with Januvia.
(For more information on how to lower your blood sugar with this medication, click Januvia. This article explains how your healthcare provider will determine your exact dosage, lists side effects to be aware of, and offers guidelines to help to you get the most out of each dose.)
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