INSULIN GLARGINE (Systemic)

Brand Names : Lantus

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 insulin glargine, the following should be considered:

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

Pregnancy - The amount of insulin or insulin glargine you need changes during pregnancy. It is especially important for your health and your baby's health that your blood sugar be closely controlled.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether insulin glargine passes into breast milk. However, your insulin glargine dosage, your meal plan, or both may need adjustment.

Children - This medicine has been tested in a limited number of children 6 years of age or older. In effective doses, the medicine has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults.

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 medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking insulin glargine, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Beta-adrenergic blocking agents (acebutolol [e.g., Sectral], atenolol [e.g., Tenormin], betaxolol [e.g., Kerlone], bisoprolol [e.g., Zebeta], carteolol [e.g., Cartrol], labetalol [e.g., Normodyne, Trandate], metoprolol [e.g., Lopressor], nadolol [e.g., Corgard], oxprenolol [e.g., Trasicor], penbutolol [e.g., Levatol], pindolol [e.g., Visken], propranolol [e.g., Inderal], sotalol [e.g., Betapace], timolol [e.g., Blocadren]) or
• Clonidine (e.g., Catapres) or
• Guanethidine (e.g., Ismelin) or
• Reserpine (e.g., Serpalan) - These medicines may hide symptoms of low blood sugar (such as fast heartbeat). Because of this, a person with diabetes might not recognize that he or she has low blood sugar and might not take immediate steps to treat it

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

• Emotional disturbances or
• Infection or
• Stress - These conditions increase blood sugar and may increase the amount of insulin or insulin glargine you need

• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease - Effects of insulin glargine may be increased; this may change the amount of insulin glargine you need