Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For rosiglitazone, the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to rosiglitazone. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy—Rosiglitazone has not been studied in pregnant women. However, it is easier during pregnancy to control your blood sugar by using injections of insulin, rather than by taking rosiglitazone. Close control of your blood sugar can reduce the chance of your baby gaining too much weight, having birth defects, or having high blood sugar before birth. Be sure to tell your doctor if you plan to become pregnant or you think you are pregnant.

Breast-feeding—It is not known whether rosiglitazone passes into the breast milk of humans. However, rosiglitazone is not recommended during breast-feeding.

Children—Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of rosiglitazone in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults—This medicine has been tested in a limited number of patients 65 years of age or older and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medical problems—The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of rosiglitazone. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Diabetic ketoacidosis (ketones in the blood) or,

• Type 1 diabetes-Insulin is needed to control these conditions or,
• Heart disease or

• Liver disease-Rosiglitazone may make these conditions worse or,
• Edema- May increase the side effects of rosiglitazone.