Diabetes brings a handful of unfamiliar words with it. Here’s a glossary to help you understand some of the concepts that are important in taking steps toward a healthy balance.
A standard test that shows the average amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood over the past 2 to 3 months and how well your blood sugar is being controlled over time. It can be performed in a laboratory or in your doctor’s office.
(See glucose below)
When you have diabetes, your blood sugar is too high. The most common type of diabetes is
type 2 diabetes.
A type of sugar from which your body gets the energy it needs. Glucose is also called blood sugar. Your body gets this sugar from 2 sources:
• The food you eat
• Your liver, which makes sugar when you haven't eaten
After you eat, your blood sugar rises. But with type 2 diabetes, your body doesn't make enough insulin to lower your blood sugar levels, or the insulin does not work as well as it should. Your liver may also make too much sugar.
(See hyperglycemia below)
The medical term for high blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes is a disease of high blood sugar. For most people, blood sugar levels that stay higher than 140 mg/dL (before meals) are too high. For many people, the normal blood sugar range is 70 to 140 mg/dL, with the higher reading occurring mainly after meals.
The medical term for low blood sugar. It occurs when your blood sugar level drops too low to provide enough energy for your body’s activities. Symptoms may include nervousness and shakiness, perspiration, dizziness or light-headedness, confusion, difficulty speaking, or any combination of these. Other causes of hypoglycemia are certain diabetes medicines, too much exercise, and excessive alcohol consumption. In general, a blood sugar reading lower than 70 mg/dL is too low.
A hormone made by the pancreas that carries the sugar from your blood into your cells, where the sugar is used for energy. The right amount of insulin helps lower your blood sugar level. In type 2 diabetes, the body does not make and release enough insulin, and/or the insulin that the body makes does not work the way that it should; this causes the blood sugar level to become too high.
JANUMET (JAN-you-met) is a type 2 diabetes medicine that targets all 3 key factors to lower blood sugar. JANUMET helps your pancreas make more insulin, helps your body use the insulin it makes more effectively, and decreases excess sugar that your body makes.
JANUMET contains 2 medicines: sitagliptin (
JANUVIA® ) and
metformin. JANUMET can be used along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adult patients with type 2 diabetes when your doctor determines that JANUMET is right for you.
JANUVIA (jah-NEW-vee-ah) (sitagliptin) is one of the components of
JANUMET.
Lactic acidosis is a medical emergency that must be treated in a hospital.
You have a higher chance of getting lactic acidosis if you have kidney problems; have liver problems; have congestive heart failure that requires treatment with medicines; drink a lot of alcohol (very often or short-term binge drinking); or get dehydrated (lose a large amount of body fluids). Dehydration can happen if you are sick with a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. Dehydration can also happen when you sweat a lot with activity or exercise and don’t’ drink enough fluids. You also have a higher chance of getting lactic acidosis if you have certain x-ray tests with injectable dyes or contrast agents; have surgery; have a heart attack, severe infection, or stroke; or are 80 years of age or older and have not had your kidney function tested.
Metformin hydrochloride is one of the ingredients in
JANUMET.
Milligrams per deciliter, the metric unit in which blood sugar is measured. One milligram is one-thousandth of a gram, approximately the weight of one paper clip divided by a thousand. A deciliter is one-tenth of a liter, or a little less than one-half a cup.
A gland behind your stomach. The hormone insulin is produced in your pancreas.
It is the most common form of diabetes and can develop at any age. In this type of diabetes, the body does not make and release enough insulin, and/or the insulin that the body makes does not work the way that it should; this causes the blood sugar level to increase. Once a person has type 2 diabetes, it does not go away. However, by working with your health care team, you can take steps to control it.
JANUMET tablets contain 2 prescription medicines: sitagliptin (JANUVIA®) and metformin. JANUMET can be used along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. Your doctor will determine whether JANUMET is right for you.
JANUMET should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes or with diabetic ketoacidosis (increased ketones in the blood or urine). If you have had pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), it is not known if you have a higher chance of getting it while taking JANUMET.
Selected Risk Information About JANUMET
Metformin, one of the ingredients in JANUMET, can cause a rare but serious side effect called lactic acidosis (a buildup of lactic acid in the blood), which can cause death. Lactic acidosis is a medical emergency that must be treated in a hospital. Stop taking JANUMET and call your doctor right away if you get any of the following symptoms of lactic acidosis: you feel very weak or tired; have unusual (not normal) muscle pain; have trouble breathing; have unusual sleepiness or sleep longer than usual; have sudden stomach or intestinal problems with nausea and vomiting or diarrhea; feel cold, especially in your arms and legs; feel dizzy or lightheaded; or have a slow or irregular heartbeat.
You have a higher chance of getting lactic acidosis if you have kidney problems, liver problems, or congestive heart failure that requires treatment with medicines, or if you drink alcohol very often, drink a lot of alcohol in a short period of time, or get dehydrated (lose large amounts of body fluids).
Pancreatitis is another serious side effect that can happen in people taking JANUMET. Pancreatitis may be severe and lead to death. Before you start taking JANUMET, tell your doctor if you've ever had pancreatitis. Stop taking JANUMET and call your doctor right away if you have pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that is severe and will not go away. The pain may be felt going from your abdomen through to your back. The pain may happen with or without vomiting. These may be symptoms of pancreatitis.
Do not take JANUMET if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in JANUMET. Allergic reactions, which may be serious, including rash; hives; and swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and throat that may cause difficulty breathing or swallowing, can occur. If you have an allergic reaction, stop taking JANUMET and call your doctor right away.
Do not take JANUMET if you are going to receive an injection of dye or contrast agent for an x-ray procedure or if your kidneys are not working properly. Your doctor will do blood tests before and during your treatment with JANUMET to see how well your kidneys are working.
If you take JANUMET with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), such as a sulfonylurea or insulin, your risk of getting low blood sugar is higher. The dose of your sulfonylurea or insulin may need to be lowered. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include headache, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, confusion, irritability, hunger, fast heart beat, sweating, and feeling jittery.
Common side effects when taking JANUMET include stuffy or runny nose and sore throat, upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, gas, upset stomach, indigestion, weakness, and headache.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please read the Medication Guide and discuss it with your doctor. Also available is the Prescribing Information.
JANUMET and JANUVIA® (sitagliptin) tablets are registered trademarks and Steps to Balance is a trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.
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