Januvia - What it is?
Januvia, active ingredient sitagliptin, is a medicine that your doctor may prescribe to help treat adult onset or type two diabetes.
Who is the maker?
Merck & Co. Inc is the maker of Januvia.
How it works
Januvia belongs to the class of medications known as DPP-4 inhibitors - a type of enzyme in the body that breaks down certain hormones. As an inhibitor of this enzyme, this type of medication works to increase the incretin hormones level by slowing the breakdown of them. The increase of the incretin hormone is what makes Januvia beneficial. One of the main benefits is the increased production of insulin when meals are eaten, as well as a reduction in the amount of sugar that the liver makes.
Since the incretin hormones tend to be more active when sugar levels of the blood are higher, the potential for having dangerously low levels of blood sugar is greatly reduced when taking this medication.
Benefits
There have been many studies done on the benefits of taking this medication for the treatment of type two diabetes.
Possible Januvia side effects
As can happen with any medication, there is the risk for side effects while being treated with Januvia. Not everyone taking this medication will have side effects though, as it is generally tolerated well. If you do experience side effects, most of the time they are mild and need very little treatment.
Most of the common side effects include:
- Runny or stuffy nose and sore throat
- Headaches
- Common cold or other types of upper respiratory infections
