METFORMIN+MIGLITOL belongs to the class of medications called ‘antidiabetic drugs’ used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic or life-long condition in which blood sugar or glucose levels rise more than normal. It occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin (utilizes glucose to produce energy) or if produced, it cannot function properly in the body.
METFORMIN+MIGLITOL contains Miglitol and Metformin. Metformin acts by decreasing liver glucose production and intestinal glucose uptake. Miglitol works by inhibiting intestinal enzymes that break complex sugars into simple sugars like glucose. Together, METFORMIN+MIGLITOL can effectively prevent the rise in glucose levels in the body.
You should take this medicine exactly as prescribed by the doctor. The common side-effects of METFORMIN+MIGLITOL are flatulence (gas), diarrhoea, abdominal pain, feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting) and loss of appetite. These side effects can be reduced if this medicine is taken with food or after a meal. However, if any of these side effects persist or get worse, inform your doctor immediately.
It is not recommended to take METFORMIN+MIGLITOL if you are allergic to any contents of it. METFORMIN+MIGLITOL is not recommended if you are having any intestinal problems such as inflammation, ulcers, blockage, hernia, liver problems, severe kidney impairment, uncontrolled diabetes, severe dehydration, severe infections, and a recent history of heart attack or heart failure. METFORMIN+MIGLITOL is not recommended for children and adolescents below 18 years, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. It should be used with caution in elderly people as they may require dose adjustments. METFORMIN+MIGLITOL may interact with alcohol and worsen the condition. METFORMIN+MIGLITOL may cause hypoglycemia (low glucose levels), so avoid driving if you develop weakness, dizziness, fast heartbeat, or decrease in alertness.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
METFORMIN+MIGLITOL is a combination of two drugs: Miglitol and Metformin. This combination therapy is preferred in patients with poorly controlled diabetes. It reduces blood glucose levels, especially post-prandial glucose levels (glucose levels after meals) in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. An increase in post-prandial glucose levels can be a risk factor for diabetes complications such as tissue and organ damage. So, a decrease in glucose levels helps control diabetes, reduce this risk and improve healthy life.
METFORMIN+MIGLITOL may cause a rare and serious side effect ‘lactic acidosis’ (buildup of lactic acid in the blood), characterized by abdominal pain, muscle cramps, vomiting, severe fatigue, and difficulty breathing. It is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. Inform your doctor if you have any severe liver or kidney problems as their normal functioning is required to eliminate excess lactic acid from the body. Consumption of alcohol, prolonged fasting, dehydration, uncontrolled diabetes, serious infections, and liver problems increases the risk of lactic acidosis. If you have dehydration (severe loss of body fluids) due to severe vomiting, diarrhoea, exposure to heat, or fever, stop taking METFORMIN+MIGLITOL and immediately seek medical attention. METFORMIN+MIGLITOL may cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and its symptoms include sweating, dizziness, palpitations (pounding heartbeat), and shivering, etc. Whenever you experience any of these symptoms, immediately consume candies or glucose biscuits rather than ordinary sugar. If your condition doesn’t improve, consult your doctor immediately.
Drug-Drug Interactions: METFORMIN+MIGLITOL may interact with other antidiabetic drugs, diuretics or water pills, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen and celecoxib), antacids (cimetidine and omeprazole), antiasthma drugs (salbutamol and terbutaline), corticosteroids, anti-HIV drug (dolutegravir), iodinated X-ray contrast agents, medications used to treat high blood pressure (verapamil, ramipril, losartan, and telmisartan, etc.), antibacterial (rifampicin and trimethoprim), a medication to treat chest pain (ranolazine), anticancer drugs (vandetanib and olaparib), an antifungal drug (isavuconazole), medicines that help in digestion (pancreatin and amylase), and medicines used to treat constipation (bisacodyl, senna, and sodium picosulfate, etc.). METFORMIN+MIGLITOL may also modify the effect of long-acting medicines such as slow-release, extended-release, modified-release, or sustained-release.
Drug-Food Interactions: Avoid intake of alcoholic beverages with METFORMIN+MIGLITOL as it increases the risk of lactic acidosis.
Drug-Disease Interactions: METFORMIN+MIGLITOL should be avoided in patients with liver or severe kidney diseases, heart diseases (like congestive heart failure and myocardial infarction), severe dehydration, uncontrolled diabetes, and gastrointestinal disorders (inflammation, ulcers, blockage, or hernia).
Consumption of alcohol may increase the risk of side effects and worsen the condition.
METFORMIN+MIGLITOL is a category B medicine and may not cause harmful effects to the unborn baby. However, it should be used in pregnant women only if clinically needed.
METFORMIN+MIGLITOL should not be given to breastfeeding mothers as it may pass in breast milk and cause adverse effects in the nursing baby.
METFORMIN+MIGLITOL may impair alertness or decrease concentration, so avoid driving or operating heavy machinery in such cases.
METFORMIN+MIGLITOL should be used with caution in patients with liver diseases. The dose may have to be adjusted by your doctor.
METFORMIN+MIGLITOL is not recommended for use in patients with severe kidney impairment. In patients with mild to moderate kidney diseases, your doctor may have to adjust the dose.
METFORMIN+MIGLITOL is not recommended for children and adolescents below 18 years of age.
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: It is a chronic or lifelong disease that keeps the body away from properly utilizing insulin. Hence, people affected with type 2 diabetes either do not produce enough insulin or are resistant to insulin. Middle-aged or older are most likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes, which is also known as adult-onset diabetes. Type 2 diabetes symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination at night, slow wound healing, increased hunger, fatigue and blurred vision. In some cases, there may be weight gain while in rare cases weight loss may be observed. The complication of type 2 diabetes also include neuropathy (nerve problems), nephropathy (kidney problems) and retinopathy (damaged retina of eyes or blindness), loss of limbs, sexual dysfunction and increase chance of heart attack or stroke.