Lixisenatide per il diabete

About lixisenatide

Insulin is a hormone which is made naturally in your body, in the pancreas. It helps to control the levels of sugar (glucose) in your blood. If your body does not make enough insulin, or if it does not use the insulin it makes effectively, this results in the condition called diabete (diabete mellito).

People with diabetes need treatment to control the amount of sugar in their blood. This is because good control of blood sugar levels reduces the risk of complications later on. Some people can control the sugar in their blood by making changes to the food they eat but, for other people, medicines are given alongside the changes in diet. Lixisenatide is one of the medicines that are prescribed for people with diabete di tipo 2.

Lixisenatide works in three ways. It increases the amount of insulin produced by your body which then reduces the level of sugar in your blood. It also reduces the amount of a substance called glucagon being produced by your pancreas. Glucagon causes your liver to produce more sugar, so by reducing the amount of glucagon in your body, this also helps to reduce the levels of sugar in your blood. Lixisenatide also works on your stomach so that food passes more slowly through it. This means that the sugar from your meals takes longer to get into your blood.

Lixisenatide is given as an injection just under the surface of the skin. It is administered using an injection device called a pre-filled pen. It is used in addition to other antidiabetic medicines.

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking lixisenatide it is important that your doctor knows:

• Se sei incinta, stai cercando di avere un bambino o stai allattando.

• Se hai un problema con lo stomaco o il sistema digestivo.

• Se hai problemi con il funzionamento dei tuoi reni.

• Se stai assumendo altri medicinali. Questo include qualsiasi medicinale che stai assumendo e che è disponibile per l'acquisto senza prescrizione medica, così come i medicinali a base di erbe e complementari.

• Se hai mai avuto una reazione allergica a un medicinale.

• Prima di iniziare il trattamento, leggi il foglietto illustrativo stampato dal produttore all'interno della confezione, oltre a qualsiasi informazione fornita dal tuo medico o dalla clinica per il diabete. Il foglietto illustrativo del produttore ti fornirà un elenco completo degli effetti collaterali che potresti riscontrare.

• Use lixisenatide exactly as your doctor tells you to. Your doctor or diabetes nurse will show you how to use the pre-filled pen to inject yourself. Lixisenatide should be injected into the skin on your upper arms, thigh, or tummy (abdomen). Try to choose a slightly different injection site for each of your injections as this will help to prevent skin problems and difficulties in injecting.

• Use lixisenatide once a day. You should use it during the hour before you eat a meal (usually before breakfast oppure the evening meal). Although you can choose which meal to inject before, you should use lixisenatide before the same meal on each day. You will start on a dose of 10 micrograms daily for two weeks, then the dose will be increased to 20 micrograms daily. To make this easy for you, it is likely you will be prescribed a 'treatment initiation pack' which contains a two-week supply of 10 microgram doses (green pre-filled pen) and a two-week supply of 20 micrograms (purple pre-filled pen).

• If you forget to use lixisenatide before your usual meal, use it before your next meal instead. Do not inject lixisenatide after you have eaten.

• È importante che mantieni i tuoi appuntamenti regolari con il medico e la clinica. Questo è necessario affinché i tuoi progressi possano essere monitorati. Avrai bisogno di controlli regolari presso una clinica oculistica e una clinica podologica, oltre che con il tuo medico e la clinica per il diabete.

• Il tuo medico potrebbe raccomandarti di controllare regolarmente il livello di zucchero (glucosio) nel sangue o nelle urine per verificare che il tuo diabete sia sotto controllo. Il tuo medico o l'infermiere specializzato in diabete ti mostrerà come fare.

• Se il tuo medico ti ha dato consigli su cambiamenti nella tua dieta, smettere di fumare o fare esercizio fisico regolare, è importante che segui i consigli che ti sono stati dati.

• Make sure you know what it feels like if your blood sugar is low. This is known as hypoglycaemia, or a 'hypo'. Using lixisenatide alongside insulin or other medicines for type 2 diabetes may cause low blood sugar. The first signs of hypoglycaemia are feeling shaky or anxious, sweating, looking pale, feeling hungry, having a feeling that your heart is pounding (palpitations), and feeling dizzy. If this happens, eat something containing sugar, such as dextrose tablets, jelly babies or a sugary drink (non-diet), and then follow this up with a snack such as a sandwich or a banana.

• Se sei un conducente, dovresti prestare particolare attenzione, poiché la tua capacità di concentrazione potrebbe essere compromessa se il tuo diabete non è ben controllato. Potresti essere consigliato di controllare i livelli di zucchero nel sangue prima di viaggiare e di avere uno spuntino con te durante i lunghi viaggi.

• Non bere alcolici, poiché possono influire sul controllo della glicemia. Chiedi al tuo medico se hai bisogno di ulteriori consigli su questo.

• Se avverti una sete insolita, urini più frequentemente del normale o ti senti molto stanco, dovresti informare il tuo medico. Questi sono segni che c'è troppo zucchero nel sangue e il tuo trattamento potrebbe necessitare di un aggiustamento.

• Consulta il tuo medico prima di iniziare qualsiasi nuovo esercizio fisico, poiché questo avrà un effetto sui tuoi livelli di zucchero nel sangue e potresti dover controllare i livelli di sangue o urina più regolarmente.

• If you are due to have an operation or dental treatment, you should tell the person carrying out the treatment that you have diabetes and give them a list of the medicines you are taking.

• This medicine should not be used during pregnancy. Women and girls of childbearing potential must use effective contraception during treatment and for two months after stopping.

• If you buy any medicines, always check with a pharmacist that they are suitable for you to take. Lixisenatide can interfere with the way some other medicines are absorbed which stops them from working properly. Because of this, some medicines should not be taken during the hour before lixisenatide is given, or during the four hours after it has been given.

• Treatment for diabetes is usually lifelong. Continue with lixisenatide unless you are told otherwise by your doctor.

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with lixisenatide. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to the injections, speak with your doctor or pharmacist for further advice.

• Tenere tutti i medicinali fuori dalla portata e dalla vista dei bambini.

• Lixisenatide can be kept for 14 days at room temperature, as long as this is below 30°C and it is kept away from direct heat and sunlight. It is, however, best to store your unopened packs in a refrigerator. Do not freeze lixisenatide.

• The pre-filled pens must be discarded 14 days after being first used.