Patient was educated regarding precautions while using thiazolidinediones as follows:
- Keeping a track of frequency of episodes of low blood sugars, despite eating regularly, can help your physician revise your dose on the medication.
- Also, notify your doctor, if the blood sugar continues to be high, despite taking the medication as recommended, so that, your medication dose could be revised.
- Observe compliance with any regular lab work ordered, such as, HbA1c. As these drugs increase risk for heart failure and bladder cancer, periodical follow-up may be ordered. Also, as these drugs are mostly metabolized in the liver and eliminated in the urine, compliance with hepatic, and renal function panel ordered periodically is highly recommended.
- If a dose is missed, it should be taken at the earliest notice of noncompliance. Report the noncompliance to your physician. If it is time for the next dose, the missed dose can be skipped. Compensating for the missed dose by taking an extra dose can pose serious risk for an episode of extremely low blood sugars, thus precipitating an emergency.
