Januvia 25 mg

Strengths available

• 100 mg
• 50 mg
• 25 mg

Brand name

Januvia (pronounced as Jah-NEW-vee-ah)

Generic name

Sitagliptin (pronounced as sit-ah-GLIP-ten)

Manufacturer Information

Merck

About Januvia 25 mg

What type of drug is Januvia?

Januvia, which contains the active ingredient sitagliptin, is used to improve blood sugar control for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients. The drug class for sitagliptin is called dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors.

Januvia can be used in combination with metformin, pioglitazone, and/or with a sulfonylurea in conjunction to diet and exercise. In more severe cases, Januvia can be used in combination with insulin.

What does Januvia do?

Januvia (sitagliptin) is a potent DPP-4 inhibitor and behave as an incretin enhancer. When you eat a meal, incretin hormones (such as GLP-1 and GIP) are released by your intestines. These hormones are involved in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. In patients with T2DM, beta-cells become insulin resistant, dysfunctional, and unresponsive which causes poor glycemic control. DPP-4 inhibitors, such as Januvia, stimulate the release of insulin and response from beta cells and prevents the breakdown of GLP-1 and GIP. This causes your body to increase insulin release and decrease glucagon levels, which leads to lower HbA1C and lower fasting and postprandial glucose concentrations.

Januvia Dosing

Januvia is given 100mg once daily either alone, or in combination with metformin +/- sulfonylurea, insulin, or pioglitazone. This dose is adjust for patients with kidney disease and renal function needs to be assessed and addressed before starting Januvia. If you have severe kidney disease, your doctor may prescribe a dose as low as 25mg daily.

If you forget to take a dose, take the dose as soon as you remember. But if itis almost time for your next dose, then skip the missed dose.

What are other blood sugar medication other than Januvia?

There are many other medications available to help manage blood sugar in T2DM. The choice of a specific drug depends on your medication history, whether you have kidney/liver disease, and your willingness to try non-oral therapies. Below is a quick summary of commonly used medication. Please note that this is not a complete list and is for patient reference only.

Januvia vs Onglyza

Onglyza, which contains the active ingredient saxagliptin, is another DPP-4 inhibitor. Onglyza is weight neutral (i.e.. It does not make you gain weight) but, unlike other DPP-4 inhibitors, Onglyza may cause heart failure.
Onglyza tends to not be the first choice because it minimally improves A1C levels and could be more expensive than other medication in this drug class.

Januvia vs Byetta

Byetta, which contains the active ingredient exenatide, is a commonly used injection which also lowers your blood sugar. Although it will lower your blood sugar more than Onglyza it is unlikely to lower your blood sugar as much as glyburide or insulin. A downside to Byetta is that it needs to be injected twice daily whereas other injectables are once daily or once weekly.

Januvia vs Metformin

Glucophage (metformin) has been the gold standard of therapy for T2DM for many years. Metformin improves your glucose levels and your A1C and is one of the few medication available that decreases mortality from diabetes-related complications. Metformin also rarely causes low blood sugar. Most patients who are diagnosed with T2DM that requires medication therapy will start with metformin but some patients can’t tolerate the stomach side effects (diarrhea, nausea, gas, cramping) that it causes.

Januvia vs Actos

Actos (aka pioglitazone) is a thiazolidinediones that also decreases blood sugar. It’s an easy once-a-day medication but generally not first choice due to its bountiful side effects and that it may cause weight gain. Benefits of Actos are that it rarely causes hypoglycemia and may decrease your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Januvia vs Diabeta

Diabeta, which contains glyburide, is a sulfonylurea which can significantly decrease your A1C and is available as a low cost generic. You may wonder why all patients don’t use this medication and it’s because that it has a greater chance of causing low blood sugar and more weight gain than other medication.

Januvia Side Effects

Side effects of Januvia include, but are not limited to, headache, constipation, vomiting, sore throat, stuffy nose, joint pain, muscle aches, back pain, or itching. Although Januvia alone has a low chance of causing hypoglycemia, the chance increases if Januvia is combined with other anti-diabetic medication.

Should I take Januvia before or after meals?

Food has no effect on the absorption of Januvia - Januvia may be taken with or without food.

Can I drink alcohol while taking Januvia?

There hasn’t been sufficient studies to conclude whether alcohol has an effect on Januvia. However, since alcohol can affect blood sugar levels, it is generally advised to avoid alcohol unless discussed with your doctor.

Drugs that Januvia interact with

Januvia is a p-glycoprotein substrate and, therefore, has the potential to have interactions with many different drugs. If you have a question about your specific combination of medication, please contact our pharmacy where there are always pharmacists available to evaluate and discuss your medication.

Ordering Januvia from Canada

There are many advantages of including Januvia 25 mg in your therapy but, all too often, patients do not have the option of trying this medication due to high cost of Januvia. Although your doctor's office may have free samples available, you'll need a reliable and steady supply of medication to obtain the full benefit. This is where a licensed Canadian pharmacy can help. Enjoy Canadian drug costs which are lower than USA drug costs even if you have a Januvia 25 mg  manufacturer coupon or a Januvia 25 mg patient assistant program.

Canada Cloud Pharmacy offers you the same peace of mind and prescription costs as your local pharmacy, with the added benefit of Canadian drug prices. Order your drugs online and it will be delivered to your door. Save on Januvia as well as other name-brand medication now by speaking with one of our pharmacists today.

FAQs

Buy Januvia 25 mg from Canada 

Information contained here on this page is for informational purpose only. Always speak with your Doctor about the usage of your medication.