Category

• Antidiabetic agent

Description

Nateglinide (na-TEG-li-nide) is used to treat a type of diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) called type 2 diabetes. With this type of diabetes, insulin produced by the pancreas is not able to get sugar into the cells of the body where it can work properly. Using nateglinide alone, or with another type of oral antidiabetic medicine called metformin, will help to lower blood sugar when it is too high and help restore the way you use food to make energy.

Many people can control type 2 diabetes with diet alone or with diet and exercise. Following a specially planned diet and exercising will always be important when you have diabetes, even when you are taking medicines. To work properly, the amount of nateglinide you take must be balanced against the amount and type of food you eat and the amount of exercise you do. If you change your diet, your exercise, or both, you will want to test your blood sugar to find out if it is too low. Your health care professional will teach you what to do if this happens.

Nateglinide does not help patients who have insulin-dependent or type 1 diabetes because they cannot produce insulin from their pancreas gland. Their blood glucose is best controlled by insulin injections.

Nateglinide does not help patients who have already been treated with other antidiabetic medicines for a long time.

Nateglinide may be used together with metformin, but should not take the place of metformin.

Nateglinide is available only with your doctor's prescription, in the following dosage form:

Oral
• Tablets (U.S.)

Brand Names

Some commonly used brand names are:

In the U.S.—

• Starlix