What Is Rosiglitazone and Metformin Used For?

Rosiglitazone and Metformin Info

Rosiglitazone and Metformin Uses: An Overview

Rosiglitazone and metformin (Avandamet^®) is a prescription medication that is used to treat type 2 diabetes. The drug is a combination of two different diabetes medications: rosiglitazone maleate (Avandia^®) and metformin hydrochloride (Fortamet^®, Glucophage^®, Glucophage XR^®, Glumetza^®, or Riomet^®).

Rosiglitazone and metformin cannot be used to treat type 1 diabetes (see Avandamet and Type 1 Diabetes).

Using Rosiglitazone and Metformin for Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes (see Diabetes Types). It is also sometimes called adult-onset diabetes or noninsulin-dependent diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a condition involving insulin resistance. With insulin resistance, body cells do not respond to insulin as well as they normally should. As a result, the body cells do not take sugar out of the blood very well. This is why people with type 2 diabetes have high blood sugar.

Over time, high blood sugar can lead to a number of problems, including diabetic impotence, diabetic neuropathy, kidney failure, and heart disease (see Diabetes Complications). The cause of type 2 diabetes is not fully understood, although it is known that obesity and genetics play an important role.

Rosiglitazone and metformin is used for treating type 2 diabetes in people who cannot lower blood sugar through lifestyle changes (such as weight loss, diet, and exercise). The two medications that make up this drug (rosiglitazone and metformin) work differently and have different effects in the body:

Rosiglitazone is part of a class of diabetes medication called thiazolidinediones (or sometimes called "glitazones"). The drug helps to improve insulin sensitivity. This means that rosiglitazone helps your body respond to insulin better, which helps to lower blood sugar.
Metformin works in several ways. It decreases the amount of sugar (glucose) made by the liver. It can also decrease the amount of sugar absorbed into the body (from the diet) and can make insulin receptors more sensitive, helping the body respond to its own insulin better. All of these effects cause a decrease in blood sugar levels.

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