Nateglinide (By mouth)
na-te-GLYE-nide
Used to treat type 2 diabetes. This medicine is used together with proper diet and exercise to help control your blood sugar.
Drug classes
Hypoglycemic (About this – PubMed Health)
Uses
Uses of This Medicine
Nateglinide is used to treat a type of diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) called type 2 diabetes. With this type of diabetes, insulin produced by the pancreas is not able to get sugar into the cells of the body where it can work properly. Using nateglinide alone, or with metformin or a thiazolidinedione (other types of oral antidiabetic medicines), will help to lower blood sugar when it is too high and help restore the way you use food to make energy.
Many people can control type 2 diabetes with diet alone or with diet and exercise. Following a specially planned diet and exercising will always be important when you have diabetes, even when you are taking medicines. To work properly, the amount of nateglinide you take must be balanced against the amount and type of food you eat and the amount of exercise you do. If you change your diet, your exercise, or both, you will want to test your blood sugar to find out if it is too low. Your health care professional will teach you what to do if this happens.
Nateglinide does not help patients who have insulin-dependent or type 1 diabetes because they cannot produce insulin from their pancreas gland. Their blood glucose is best controlled by insulin injections.
Nateglinide does not help patients who have already been treated with other antidiabetic medicines for a long time.
Nateglinide may be used together with metformin or a thiazolidinedione, but should not take the place of these medicines.
Nateglinide is available only with your doctor’s prescription.
Other uses (PubMed Health)
How To Use
Tablet
Take your medicine as directed. Your dose may need to be changed several times to find what works best for you.
It is best to take this medicine within 30 minutes before a meal. If you skip a meal, then you should also skip your dose of nateglinide.
This medicine is only one part of a complete program for controlling diabetes. It is important that you always eat a healthy diet, watch your weight, and get regular exercise.
If a dose is missed:
Take a dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then and take a regular dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.
How to Store and Dispose of This Medicine:
Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Never share your medicine with anyone.
Drugs and Foods to Avoid
Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.
Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using diabetes medicines that you take by mouth (such as chlorpropamide, glimepiride, glipizide, glyburide, tolbutamide, Diabeta®, Glucotrol®, or Orinase®), certain blood pressure medicines (such as hydrochlorothiazide [HCTZ], propranolol, timolol, Inderal®, or Timoptic®), or an MAO inhibitor (such as Eldepryl®, Marplan®, Nardil®, or Parnate®).
Tell your doctor if you are also using St. John’s wort, amiodarone (Cordarone®), fluconazole (Diflucan®), guanethidine (Ismelin®), miconazole (Monistat®), oxandrolone (Oxandrin®), phenytoin (Dilantin®), rifampin (Rifadin®, Rimactane®), somatropin (Nutropin®), pain or arthritis medicine, sometimes called “NSAIDs” (such as such as aspirin, celecoxib, ibuprofen, naproxen, rofecoxib, valdecoxib, Advil®, Aleve®, Bextra®, Celebrex®, Motrin®, or Vioxx®), a steroid medicine (such as dexamethasone, prednisolone, prednisone, or Medrol®), or thyroid medicines (such as levothyroxine, Levothroid®, Levoxyl®, Synthroid®, or Unithroid®).
Do not drink alcohol while you are using this medicine.
When Not To Use
You should not use this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to nateglinide. You should not use this medicine if you have diabetic ketoacidosis (ketones in the blood) or type 1 diabetes.
Warnings
Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have kidney disease, liver disease, heart or blood vessel disease, an adrenal disorder, a pituitary gland disorder, or nerve problems.
Some things that can lead to low blood sugar are exercising more than normal or waiting too long to eat. Tell your doctor about any sudden change in your medical condition.
This medicine may not work as well if you have surgery, get hurt, or get sick. If you have severe vomiting, diarrhea, or fever, call your doctor for instructions.
Tell any doctor or dentist who treats you that you are using this medicine. This medicine may affect certain medical test results.
Your doctor will do lab tests at regular visits to check on the effects of this medicine. Keep all appointments. You will also need to check your blood sugar on a regular basis at home.
Possible side effects
Summary More details
Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:
Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
Increased hunger or thirst.
Rapid weight gain.
Swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet.
If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:
Back or joint pain.
Diarrhea, nausea.
Dizziness.
Stuffy or runny nose, cough, sneezing, or sore throat.
If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
More side effects of this drug
Brand names include
Starlix
There may be other brand names for this medicine.
