What is this drug used for?
• It is used to lower blood sugar in patients with high blood sugar (diabetes).
Possible side effects
Sitagliptin may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
• Headache.
• Signs of a common cold.
• Nose or throat irritation.
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:
• Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Signs of kidney problems like unable to pass urine, change in how much urine is passed, blood in the urine, or a big weight gain.
• Low blood sugar can happen. The chance may be raised when this drug is used with other drugs for diabetes. Signs may be dizziness, headache, feeling sleepy or weak, shaking, fast heartbeat, confusion, hunger, or sweating. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs. Follow what you have been told to do for low blood sugar. This may include taking glucose tablets, liquid glucose, or some fruit juices.
• Severe and sometimes deadly pancreas problems (pancreatitis) have happened with this drug. This could happen at any time during treatment. Signs of pancreatitis include very bad stomach pain, very bad back pain, or very upset stomach or throwing up. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs.
• A very bad skin reaction (Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis) may happen. It can cause very bad health problems that may not go away, and sometimes death. Get medical help right away if you have signs like red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin (with or without fever); red or irritated eyes; or sores in your mouth, throat, nose, or eyes.
• Drugs like this one may cause joint pain that can be very bad and disabling. Call your doctor right away if you have very bad joint pain or any joint pain that does not go away.
Medication Safety Issues
Sound-alike/look-alike issues:
Januvia may be confused with Enjuvia, Janumet, Jantoven
SITagliptin may be confused with SAXagliptin, SUMAtriptan
Storage and Stability
Store at 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F); excursions permitted to 15°C to 30°C (59°F to 86°F).
Adverse Reactions
1% to 10%:
Endocrine & metabolic: Hypoglycemia (1%)
Respiratory: Nasopharyngitis (5%)
Frequency not defined:
Gastrointestinal: Diarrhea, nausea
Renal: Increased serum creatinine
<1%, postmarketing, and/or case reports: Acute pancreatitis (including hemorrhagic or necrotizing forms), acute renal failure (possibly requiring dialysis), anaphylaxis, angioedema, arthralgia, back pain, bullous pemphigoid, constipation, exfoliative dermatitis, headache, hypersensitivity angiitis, hypersensitivity reaction, increased liver enzymes, limb pain, myalgia, oral mucosa ulcer, pain, pemphigoid, pruritus, renal insufficiency, rhabdomyolysis, severe arthralgia, skin rash (including macular), Stevens-Johnson syndrome, stomatitis, urticaria, vomiting
