Pioglitazone/glimepiride, sold under the brand name Duetact among others, is a fixed-dose combination anti-diabetic medication for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.^[2][1] It contains the thiazolidinedione pioglitazone and the sulfonylurea glimepiride.^[2][1] It is taken by mouth.^[2][1]

The most common side effects include upper respiratory tract infections (such as colds), hypoesthesia (reduced sense of touch), bone fractures, weight gain, dizziness, flatulence (gas) and edema (swelling).^[1]

Pioglitazone makes cells (fat, muscle and liver) more sensitive to insulin, which means that the body makes better use of the insulin it produces.^[1] Glimepiride is a sulphonylurea: it stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin.^[1] Pioglitazone/glimepiride was approved for medical use in the United States in July 2006, and in the European Union in January 2007.^[1][3][4]

Medical uses

In the United States pioglitazone/glimepiride is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are already treated with a thiazolidinedione and sulfonylurea or who have inadequate glycemic control on a thiazolidinedione alone or a sulfonylurea alone.^[2][3][5]

In the European Union pioglitazone/glimepiride is indicated for the treatment of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus who show intolerance to metformin or for whom metformin is contraindicated and who are already treated with a combination of pioglitazone and glimepiride.^[1]