What Is Pramlintide Used For?

Some people may ask, "What is pramlintide used for?" In adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, pramlintide is used to help slow the increase in blood sugar after meals and decrease the amount of sugar the liver produces in order to lower blood sugar levels. By lowering blood sugar, pramlintide can help decrease the chances of developing problems associated with high blood sugar, such as heart disease and kidney failure. At this time, there are no universally accepted off-label pramlintide uses.

Pramlintide (Symlin)

What Is Pramlintide Used For?

Pramlintide acetate (Symlin^®) is an injectable prescription medication licensed to treat type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes. The medication is intended to be used along with insulin; pramlintide is not a substitute for insulin. Pramlintide should be used only in people who do not have good blood sugar control while using insulin.

Amylin and Pramlintide

Pramlintide works in the body to replace the actions of amylin, a hormone that is too low in many people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. When the pancreas becomes damaged (as a result of type 1 or type 2 diabetes), it can no longer produce enough amylin. Pramlintide works like amylin in the body, causing the following effects:

Pramlintide slows the emptying of food from the stomach (which slows the increase in blood sugar after meals)
Pramlintide decreases the amount of glucose (sugar) that the liver produces
Pramlintide works in the brain to help people feel fuller sooner, resulting in a decrease in appetite and food intake.

(What Is Pramlintide Used For? Continued: Page 2)