Medicines Management Team
Alogliptin (Vipidia™) Sitagliptin(Januvia™) and Linagliptin (Trajenta™) for Type 2 Diabetes These treatments (medications) may also be called ‘gliptins’ or Di-peptidyl peptidase (DPP-4) inhibitor therapy
Overview Gliptins This Information Sheet tells you about a group of Your doctor thinks that you may benefit from taking one of medications known as Gliptins that are available to these newer treatments called “gliptins” to help you manage treat Type 2 diabetes. It also tells you how your diabetes. The gliptins are intended to reduce blood Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG expects glucose. Your treatment will be carefully monitored as not these treatments to be used everyone responds well to a gliptin and some people may This information has been reviewed by Specialists in have unacceptable side effects. Diabetes, GPs, pharmacists and patients’ within Alogliptin and sitagliptin are the recommended first and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. second line choices for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough patients. Linagliptin is only recommended for certain What does NICE say? patients with kidney problems.
The National Institute for Health and Care Stopping your medication Excellence (NICE) tells the NHS how we can use these medicines so that side-effects are kept to a NICE has told the NHS that treatment with gliptins SHOULD minimum and these medicines are used in ways BE STOPPED unless your HbA1c falls by at least 0.5% that are good value and affordable for the NHS. (5.5mmol/mol) within the first 6 months (compared with its NICE only recommends use of gliptins when they level when you started this treatment) and that it should be are needed in addition to metformin and/or reviewed unless your HbA1c remains at that lower level when another treatment for Type 2 diabetes. If you are on a gliptin. prescribed a gliptin you should take the other medicines for your diabetes that your consultant Doctors and nurses in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are recommends. expected to follow this guidance from NICE . This is so that all Like all medicines, gliptins can cause unwanted our patients remain safe and get the best effective care adverse side effects. NICE has reminded us that we need to be careful how we use gliptins as we know less about them than we do about longer- Things you can do to improve your blood sugar levels established medications. This is true for any newer Your doctor or nurse will give you advice on how to be careful treatments. with your diet and about taking more exercise to help you To help you get the best from your medicines, keep your weight down to a healthy level. This will improve please ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist to discuss the likely benefits and risks of treatments your chance of reducing your blood sugar by the amount with you. This will help you to make an informed necessary to go on taking this treatment, if it suits you. decision on whether or not you want to take a You can help manage your blood sugar (glucose) and reduce gliptin. your HbA1c by attending any education groups you are Your doctor or nurse will find out about any new offered and also by taking your medication at the times safety information on these treatments as it is recommended by your doctor or nurse. You can also help published and will let you know what to look out yourself to stay healthier by not smoking and taking regularly for. any medication you may have been prescribed to lower your More information about Type 2 diabetes is available via the NHS Choices website at http://www.nhs.uk/ blood pressure or your cholesterol. conditions/diabetes-type2/pages/introduction.aspx
March 2015 [email protected] Version 1.1