Prandin
(Repaglinide)

What Prandin is and what it is used for

Prandin® is an oral antidiabetic medicine containing repaglinide which helps your pancreas produce more insulin and thereby lower your blood sugar (glucose). Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which your pancreas does not make enough insulin to control the sugar in your blood or where your body does not respond normally to the insulin it produces. Prandin® is used to control type 2 diabetes in adults as an add-on to diet and exercise: treatment is usually started if diet, exercise and weight reduction alone have not been able to control (or lower) your blood sugar. Prandin® can also be given with metformin, another medicine for diabetes. Prandin® has been shown to lower the blood sugar, which helps to prevent complications from your diabetes

How to take Prandin

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor if you are not sure. Your doctor will work out your dose. 4
• The normal starting dose is 0.5 mg before each main meal. Swallow the tablets with a glass of water immediately before or up to 30 minutes before each main meal.
• The dose may be adjusted by your doctor by up to 4 mg to be taken immediately before or up to 30 minutes before each main meal. The maximum recommended daily dose is 16 mg. Do not take more Prandin® than your doctor has recommended. If you take more Prandin® than you should If you take too many tablets, your blood sugar may become too low, leading to a hypo. Please see If you get a hypo on what a hypo is and how to treat it. If you forget to take Prandin® If you miss a dose, take the next dose as usual
•do not double the dose. If you stop taking Prandin® Be aware that the desired effect is not achieved if you stop taking Prandin® . Your diabetes may get worse. If any change of your treatment is necessary contact your doctor first. If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist

Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Hypoglycaemia The most frequent side effect is hypoglycaemia which may affect up to 1 in 10 patients (see If you get a hypo in section 2). Hypoglycaemic reactions are generally mild/moderate but may occasionally develop into hypoglycaemic unconsciousness or coma. If this happens, medical assistance is needed immediately. Allergy Allergy is very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 patients). Symptoms such as swelling, difficulty in breathing, rapid heartbeat, feeling dizzy and sweating could be signs of anaphylactic reaction. Contact a doctor immediately.

Other side effects

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 patients)
• Stomach pain
• Diarrhoea.

Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 patients)
• Acute coronary syndrome (but it may not be due to the medicine).

Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 patients)
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Visual disturbances
• Severe liver problems, abnormal liver function such as increased liver enzymes in your blood. Frequency not known
• Hypersensitivity (such as rash, itchy skin, redening of the skin, swelling of the skin)
• Feeling sick (nausea). 5

Reporting of side effects If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via Malta ADR Reporting Website: www.medicinesauthority.gov.mt/adrportal United Kingdom Yellow Card Scheme Website: www://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine

How to Store Prandin

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and the blister foil after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last date of that month. Store in the original package in order to protect from moisture. Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.