Linagliptin is a medicine used to treat type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body does not make enough insulin, or the insulin that it makes does not work properly. This can cause high blood sugar levels (hyperglycaemia).
Linagliptin is usually prescribed when a healthy diet and exercise alone have not been enough to control your blood sugar levels.
It works by increasing the amount of insulin that your body makes. Insulin is the hormone that controls sugar levels in your blood.
Linagliptin is only available on prescription.
It comes as tablets. It also comes as tablets containing a mixture of linagliptin and metformin (called Jantadueto) and as tablets containing a mixture of linagliptin and empagliflozin (called Glyxambi).
Key facts
- Linagliptin starts to work within a few hours. You need to take it every day to make sure your blood sugar stays as stable as possible.
- You take linagliptin once a day.
- Most people have no side effects, or only minor ones, when taking linagliptin.
- It will not usually make you put on or lose weight.
- If you have diabetes, you're entitled to free prescriptions for all of your medicines, not just your diabetes ones.