Actos Tablets

What’s the dose?

Actose may be initiated at 15mg or 30mg once daily. The dose may be increased in increments up to 45mg once daily.

Could it interact with other tablets?

Actos may interact with medicines which could speed up or slow down the breakdown of the drug in the body like gemfibrozil and rifampicin. Always tell your doctor/pharmacist what you are taking.
Herbal supplements should be used with caution and only after informing your doctor first.

What are the possible risks or side-effects?

The following side effects have been experienced by some patients taking Actos tablets:

• localised swelling (oedema)
• weight gain
• headache
• sinusitis
• respiratory infection
• dizziness
• vertigo
• numbness
• abnormal vision
• blurred vision due to swelling (or fluid) in the back of the eye  
• flatulence
• joint pain
• impotence
• sweating
• fatigue
• insomnia
• decreased blood sugar (hypoglycaemia)
• sugar in urine
• proteins in urine
• impaired liver function, a small reduction in red blood cell count, back pain, shortness of breath.

If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.

Can I drink alcohol while taking it?

There are no known interactions between alcohol and Actos.

Always ask your doctor/pharmacist however as this may depend on what other tablets you are taking.

What if I’m pregnant/breastfeeding?

Actos should not be taken during pregnancy or during breast feeding.

If you have any more questions please ask your Pharmacist.

Remember to keep all medicines out of reach of children
Please Note: We have made every effort to ensure that the content of this information sheet is correct at time of publish, but remember that information about drugs may change. This sheet does not list all the uses and side-effects associated with this drug. For full details please see the drug information leaflet which comes with your medicine. Your doctor will assess your medical circumstances and draw your attention to any information or side-effects which may be relevant in your particular case.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiazolidinedione

http://www.drugs.com/actos.html

http://www.drugwatch.com/actos/

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM183833.pdf

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/drug-pioglitazone_oral/article_em.htm