Is Januvia Safe for diabetes?
Januvia (Sitagliptin) is a relatively new drug for treatment
of patients with type 2 diabetes. This drug works by inhibiting certain enzymes
in the intestine; and by doing so increases the secretion of insulin from the
pancreas.
Januvia can be used alone or in combination with other
antidiabetic drugs. The major advantages of januvia are that it does not cause
weight gain nor does it cause profound hypoglycemic attacks. The other
advantage of januvia is that it is well tolerated and the most common adverse
effects are nausea and flu like symptoms.
However, the drug is not as potent as metformin and is only
effective in certain diabetics.
Januvia works best in when the diabetes is mild and the
glucose control is maintained well. For people who have large fluctuations in
blood glucose, januvia is not a great drug when used alone. People who have
kidney disease need to take a lower dose of januvia.