What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider Before Taking Pramlintide?
You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking this drug if you have:
- Hypoglycemia unawareness (meaning that you do not have any symptoms when you have very low blood sugar)
- Diabetic gastroparesis (a slowing of the digestive tract due to diabetes)
- Other digestive problems
- Any allergies, including allergies to foods, dyes, or preservatives.
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
Tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Pramlintide works by mimicking the actions of amylin in the body. Amylin is a hormone that is made and secreted, along with
insulin, by the
pancreas. In people without diabetes, the level of amylin (along with insulin) increases in response to higher blood sugar levels after meals. When the pancreas becomes damaged (as a result of
type 1 diabetes or
type 2 diabetes), it can no longer produce sufficient amounts of insulin and amylin.
The amylin actions that pramlintide mimics include:
- Slowing the emptying of food from the stomach (which slows the increase in blood sugar after meals)
- Decreasing the amount of glucose (sugar) that the liver produces
- Working in the brain to help people feel fuller sooner, resulting in a decrease in appetite and food intake.
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