Duetact vs. Baqsimi

• Are Duetact and Baqsimi the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Duetact?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Baqsimi?
• What Is Duetact?
• What Is Baqsimi?
• What Drugs Interact with Duetact?
• What Drugs Interact with Baqsimi?
• How Should Duetact Be Taken?
• How Should Baqsimi Be Taken?

Duetact (pioglitazone hydrochloride and glimepiride) and Baqsimi (glucagon) Nasal Powder are both agents used to control blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes.

Duetact is used to control blood sugar levels for people with type 2 diabetes who do not use daily insulin injections.

Baqsimi Nasal Powder is used for emergency treatment of severe hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes ages 4 years and above and can be used by patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Side effects of Duetact that are different from Baqsimi Nasal Powder include weight gain, diarrhea, dizziness, blurred vision, and tooth problems.

Side effects of Baqsimi Nasal Powder and Duetact that are similar include nausea, headache, and cold symptoms (sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, cough, sore throat).

Side effects of Baqsimi Nasal Powder that are different from Duetact include vomiting, upper respiratory tract irritation (i.e., nasal discomfort and nosebleed), watery eyes, eye redness, and itchy nose and eyes.

Both Baqsimi Nasal Powder and Duetact may interact with beta-blockers.

Duetact may also interact with other oral diabetes medications, albuterol, diuretics (water pills), steroids, thyroid medicines, birth control pills, and seizure medicines.

Baqsimi Nasal Powder may also interact with indomethacin and warfarin.

Common side effects of Duetact include:

• symptoms associated with a cold (sneezing, stuffy nose, cough, sore throat)
• weight gain
• mild nausea
• diarrhea
• headache
• dizziness
• blurred vision, and
• tooth problems

Common side effects of Baqsimi include:

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• headache,
• upper respiratory tract irritation (i.e., runny nose, nasal discomfort, nasal congestion, cough, and nosebleed),
• watery eyes,
• eye redness,
• sneezing, and
• itchy nose, throat, and eyes

Duetact (pioglitazone hydrochloride and glimepiride) Tablets are a combination of two oral antihyperglycemic agents used to control blood sugar levels for people with type 2 diabetes who do not use daily insulin injections.

Baqsimi (glucagon) Nasal Powder is an antihypoglycemic agent indicated for the treatment of severe hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes ages 4 years and above.

This and other oral diabetes medications may increase your risk of serious heart problems. Tell your doctor all medications you are taking, especially certain medication such as albuterol, beta-blockers, diuretics, steroids, thyroid medicine, birth control pills, and seizure medicine as these and other drugs can interact with Duetact. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding you should not take Duetact.

Baqsimi Nasal Powder may interact with beta-blockers, indomethacin, and warfarin. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant before using Baqsimi Nasal Powder; it is not expected to harm a fetus. It is unknown if Baqsimi Nasal Powder passes into breast milk. Glucagon is a peptide and would be expected to be broken down to its constituent amino acids in an infant's digestive tract and is therefore unlikely to cause harm to an exposed infant. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Dosage of Duetact is 30 mg/2 mg or 30 mg/4 mg tablets taken once daily with food. Talk to your doctor about your individual dosage recommendation. Taking this medication for more than 1 year may increase your risk of bladder cancer.

The recommended dose of Baqsimi Nasal Powder is 3 mg administered as one pump spray of the intranasal device into one nostril.