Januvia

Description

Sitagliptin is used alone or with another type of diabetes medicine, such as metformin or pioglitazone, to treat high blood sugar levels that are caused by a type of diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) called type 2 diabetes. Normally, after you eat, your pancreas releases insulin to help your body store excess sugar for later use. This process occurs during normal digestion of food. In type 2 diabetes, your body does not work properly to store the excess sugar and the sugar remains in your bloodstream. Chronic high blood sugar can lead to serious health problems in the future. Proper diet is the first step in managing type 2 diabetes, but often medicines are needed to help your body. Sitagliptin helps to control blood sugar levels by increasing substances in the body that make the pancreas release more insulin. It also signals the liver to stop producing glucose when there is too much sugar in the blood.

Sitagliptin does not help patients who have insulin-dependent or type 1 diabetes, because they do not produce insulin from the pancreas. The blood glucose is best controlled with insulin injections in these patients.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Common Brand Names:

Januvia