What is pramlintide?
Pramlintide is a man-made form of a hormone that occurs naturally in the body. Pramlintide lowers blood sugar in three ways. It slows the rate that food moves from your stomach to your intestines, which keeps your blood sugar from rising too fast. Pramlintide also lowers the amount of glucose (sugar) your liver produces. Lastly, pramlintide triggers the feeling of fullness after meals to help control your appetite and decrease how much food you eat.
Pramlintide is used together with insulin to treat type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Pramlintide may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about pramlintide?
Do not mix pramlintide and insulin together in the same syringe.
You will need to use a lower dose of insulin than you used before you started using pramlintide. Your doctor will determine your correct dose.
Call your doctor if you have severe nausea that lasts for several days. This may be a sign that your dose is too high.
If you skip a meal, do not take your dose of pramlintide. Wait until your next meal.
If you stop using pramlintide for a short time, you may need to restart the medication at a lower dose. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without your doctor's advice.
Take care not to let your blood sugar get too low, causing hypoglycemia. Severe hypoglycemia may occur within 3 hours after your pramlintide injection. Carry hard candy or glucose tablets with you in case you have low blood sugar. Be sure your family and close friends know how to help you in an emergency.
What should I discuss with my doctor before using pramlintide?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to pramlintide or metacresol. Do not use if you have a digestive condition called "delayed gastric emptying," or if you cannot recognize symptoms of low blood sugar.
If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a pramlintide dose adjustment or special tests:
a history of delayed gastric emptying;
if you are unable to check your blood sugars regularly up to several times daily;
if you have had severe hypoglycemia more than once in the past 6 months;
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether pramlintide will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication..
It is not known whether pramlintide passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Pramlintide should not be used in children.