Pioglitazone 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).
Pioglitazone helps to control your blood sugar levels by helping your body make better use of the insulin it produces.
Pioglitazone is only available on prescription. It comes as tablets.
It also comes as tablets containing a mixture of pioglitazone and another diabetes medicine called metformin. This is known by the brand name Competact.
Key facts
- You'll usually take pioglitazone once a day. You can take it with or without food.
- Pioglitazone takes a few weeks to lower your blood sugar levels. You may not feel any different if you do not have symptoms from your diabetes, but it's important to keep taking it.
- After 3 to 6 months, your doctor will check your blood sugar levels to see if pioglitazone is working for you.
- Some people find they put on weight when taking pioglitazone. Eating a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise can help with this.
- If you have diabetes, you're entitled to free prescriptions for all of your medicines, not just your diabetes ones.