Liraglutide Subcutaneous

Liraglutide injection is used to treat a type of diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) called type 2 diabetes. Liraglutide is to be used when diet and exercise do not result in good blood sugar control. liraglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist.

Liraglutide injection is also used together with a reduced-calorie diet and proper exercise to help you lose weight and help keep the lost weight from returning. It is may be used in overweight people who may also have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease.

liraglutide is available only with your doctor's prescription.

When you start using Victoza®, it is very important that you check your blood sugar often, especially before and after meals and at bedtime. This will help lower the chance of having very low blood sugar.

liraglutide should come with a Medication Guide. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.

You may take liraglutide with or without food.

You will be using liraglutide at home. Your doctor will teach you how the injections are to be given. Be sure you understand exactly how the medicine is to be injected.

liraglutide is given as a shot under the skin of your stomach, thighs, or upper arm. Use a different body area each time you give yourself a shot. Keep track of where you give each shot to make sure you rotate body areas.

If you use liraglutide with insulin, do not mix them into the same syringe. It is acceptable to inject liraglutide and insulin in the same body area, but the shots should not be right next to each other.

Allow the medicine to warm at room temperature before you inject it. If the medicine in the pen has changed color, looks cloudy, or if you see particles in it, do not use it.

Use a new needle each time you inject your medicine.

Never share medicine pens with others under any circumstances. It is not safe for one pen to be used for more than one person. Sharing needles or pens can result in transmission of infection.

Throw away used needles in a hard, closed container that the needles cannot poke through (puncture-resistant). Keep this container away from children and pets.

Follow carefully the special meal plan your doctor gave you. This is the most important part of controlling your diabetes, and is necessary if Victoza® is to work properly. Also, exercise regularly and test for sugar in your blood or urine as directed.

Dosing

The dose of liraglutide will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of liraglutide. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

• For injection dosage form:
  • For type 2 diabetes:
    • Adults—At first, 0.6 milligram (mg) injected under the skin once a day for 1 week. Your doctor may increase your dose as needed and until your blood sugar is controlled.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
  • For treatment of obesity:
    • Adults—At first, 0.6 milligram (mg) injected under the skin once a day for 1 week. Your doctor will increase your dose weekly up to 3 mg every week.
    • Children—Use is not recommended.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of liraglutide, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

If you miss a dose of liraglutide for 3 days or more, call your doctor to talk about how to restart your treatment.

Storage

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Store your new, unused medicine pen in the refrigerator, in the original carton, and protect it from light. Do not freeze liraglutide, and do not use the medicine if it has been frozen. You may store the opened medicine pen in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 30 days. Throw away any unused medicine after 30 days.

Remove the needle from the pen before storing the medicine. This prevents leaking of the remaining medicine and prevents air bubbles from forming in the cartridge.

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that liraglutide is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Do not use Saxenda® if you are also using Victoza®.

It is very important to carefully follow any instructions from your health care team about:

• Alcohol—Drinking alcohol may cause severe low blood sugar. Discuss this with your health care team.
• Other medicines—Do not take other medicines during the time you are using liraglutide unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This especially includes nonprescription medicines such as aspirin, and medicines for appetite control, asthma, colds, cough, hay fever, or sinus problems.
• Counseling—Other family members need to learn how to prevent side effects or help with side effects if they occur. Also, diabetic patients may need special counseling about diabetes medicine dosing changes that might occur because of lifestyle changes, such as changes in exercise and diet. Furthermore, counseling on contraception and pregnancy may be needed because of the problems that can occur during pregnancy in patients with diabetes.
• Travel—Keep a recent prescription and your medical history with you. Be prepared for an emergency as you would normally. Make allowances for changing time zones and keep your meal times as close as possible to your usual meal times.
• In case of emergency—There may be a time when you need emergency help for a problem caused by your diabetes. You need to be prepared for these emergencies. It is a good idea to wear a medical identification (ID) bracelet or neck chain at all times. Also, carry an ID card in your wallet or purse that says that you have diabetes and a list of all of your medicines.

Check with your doctor right away if you have the following symptoms while using liraglutide: a mass in the neck, difficulty with swallowing, hoarseness, or troubled breathing. These may be symptoms of a serious thyroid problem.

Pancreatitis may occur while you are using liraglutide. Tell your doctor right away if you have sudden and severe stomach pain, chills, constipation, nausea, vomiting, fever, or lightheadedness.

liraglutide may cause serious types of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, hoarseness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your arms, hands, legs, face, mouth, or throat while you are using liraglutide.

liraglutide does not cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). However, low blood sugar can occur when you use liraglutide with other medicines that can lower blood sugar, such as insulin, metformin, or a sulfonylurea. Low blood sugar also can occur if you delay or miss a meal or snack, exercise more than usual, drink alcohol, or cannot eat because of nausea or vomiting.

• Symptoms of low blood sugar include anxiety, behavior change similar to being drunk, blurred vision, cold sweats, confusion, cool, pale skin, difficulty with thinking, drowsiness, excessive hunger, a fast heartbeat, headache (continuing), nausea, nervousness, nightmares, restless sleep, shakiness, slurred speech, or unusual tiredness or weakness.
• If symptoms of low blood sugar occur, eat glucose tablets or gel, corn syrup, honey, or sugar cubes, or drink fruit juice, non-diet soft drink, or sugar dissolved in water to relieve the symptoms. Also, check your blood for low blood sugar. Glucagon is used in emergency situations when severe symptoms such as seizures (convulsions) or unconsciousness occur. Have a glucagon kit available, along with a syringe and needle, and know how to use it. Members of your family also should know how to use it.

Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) may occur if you do not take enough or skip a dose of your antidiabetic medicine, overeat or do not follow your meal plan, have a fever or infection, or do not exercise as much as usual.

• Symptoms of high blood sugar include blurred vision, drowsiness, dry mouth, flushed, dry skin, fruit-like breath odor, increased urination (frequency and amount), ketones in the urine, loss of appetite, stomachache, nausea, or vomiting, tiredness, troubled breathing (rapid and deep), unconsciousness, or unusual thirst.
• If symptoms of high blood sugar occur, check your blood sugar level and then call your doctor for instructions.

If you are using Saxenda®:

• Using liraglutide while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control to keep from getting pregnant. If you think you have become pregnant while using liraglutide, tell your doctor right away.
• liraglutide may cause gallbladder problems, including gallstones. Call your doctor right away if you have abdominal or stomach fullness, gaseous abdominal or stomach pain, recurrent fever, or yellow eyes or skin.
• liraglutide can increase your heart rate while you are at rest. Your doctor should check your heart rate while you are using liraglutide.
• It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed. Tell your doctor if you develop any mood changes, strange thoughts, or any unusual behavior while you are using liraglutide.

Liraglutide is used either alone or with other medications, and with a proper diet and exercise program, to control high blood sugar. It is used in people with type 2 diabetes. Controlling high blood sugar helps prevent kidney damage, blindness, nerve problems, loss of limbs, and sexual function problems. Proper control of diabetes may also lessen your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Liraglutide is similar to a natural hormone in your body (incretin). It works by causing insulin release in response to high sugar levels (such as after a meal) and decreasing the amount of sugar your liver makes.

Liraglutide is not a substitute for insulin if you require insulin treatment.

How to use Liraglutide Pen Injector

Read the Medication Guide and the Pen User Manual provided by your pharmacist before you start using liraglutide and each time you get a refill. Learn all preparation and usage instructions. If you have questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Inject this medication under the skin in the thigh, abdomen, or upper arm as directed by your doctor, usually once daily.

If you are also using insulin, give liraglutide and insulin as separate injections. Do not mix them. You may inject these medications in the same area of the body, but the injection sites should not be next to each other.

The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment. Your doctor will start you on a low dose first to decrease your risk of stomach/abdominal side effects, and gradually increase your dose. If more than 3 days have passed since your last liraglutide dose, ask your doctor if you should restart the medication with the low dose to reduce your chance of side effects. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully.

Before using, check this product visually for particles or discoloration. If either is present, do not use the liquid. Before injecting each dose, clean the injection site with rubbing alcohol. It is important to change the location of the injection site daily to avoid problem areas under the skin.

Use this medication regularly to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, use it at the same time each day. Carefully follow the medication treatment plan, meal plan, and exercise program your doctor has recommended.

Do not share your pen device with another person, even if the needle is changed. You may give other people a serious infection, or get a serious infection from them. Learn how to store and discard medical supplies safely.

Tell your doctor if your condition persists or worsens (such as blood sugar remaining high or increasing).

If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison control center right away. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include: severe nausea/vomiting.

Notes

Do not share this medication with others.

Attend a diabetes education program to learn more about how to manage your diabetes with medications, diet, exercise, and regular medical exams. Learn the symptoms of high and low blood sugar and how to treat low blood sugar. Check your blood sugar regularly as directed and share the results with your doctor.

Keep all medical appointments. Laboratory and/or medical tests (such as kidney function, fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Storage

Before using the liraglutide pen for the first time, store it in the refrigerator. Do not freeze. After first use, liraglutide can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Protect from heat and sunlight. Discard 30 days after first use, even if some drug remains in the pen. Keep all medications away from children and pets.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.Information last revised July 2016. Copyright(c) 2016 First Databank, Inc.