What Is Saxagliptin Used For?

The prescription drug saxagliptin is approved for treating type 2 diabetes. It is used to increase insulin production in response to meals and decrease the amount of glucose that the liver produces. Healthcare providers may also occasionally recommend off-label uses of saxagliptin, such as combining it with insulin to treat type 2 diabetes.

What Is Saxagliptin Used For?

Saxagliptin (Onglyza™) is a prescription medication that is used to treat type 2 diabetes. It should be used in combination with appropriate changes in diet and exercise to help control blood sugar.
 

Using Saxagliptin 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 non-insulin-dependent diabetes.
 
Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which 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 in the condition.
 
Any type 2 diabetes treatment begins with lifestyle changes (weight loss, a diabetic diet, and exercise). If lifestyle changes are not effective at managing diabetes, diabetes medications (such as saxagliptin) may be necessary. Some diabetes drugs force the pancreas to produce more insulin regardless of blood sugar levels. These medications are effective but can cause dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
 
Because of the way saxagliptin works, it is far less likely to cause dangerously low blood sugar (compared with some other diabetes medications).
 
In some people, saxagliptin may need to be combined with other diabetes medicines. Saxagliptin has been studied in combination with a wide variety of different diabetes medications. However, it has not been studied in combination with insulin.
 
(Click Diabetic Diet and Diabetes and Exercise to learn about controlling diabetes through lifestyle choices.)
 

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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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