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About Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In a patient with type 2 diabetes, insulin is being made, but not enough. When there is not enough insulin, glucose (sugar) — which is the main source of energy for the body — cannot get into the body's cells. This extra glucose builds up in the bloodstream, overflows into the urine, and passes out of the body. So the body loses a lot of its "fuel" even though there are large amounts of glucose in the blood.

High blood sugar can happen if:

  • Not enough insulin is produced by the pancreas
  • Enough insulin is being produced by the pancreas, but the cells need much more than what is normally made (also called insulin resistance)
  • Natural hormones in the gut (intestines) do not work as well as they should
  • The liver may produce too much glucose on its own at the wrong times — such as during and after meals

When you eat food, your body releases natural hormones. BYETTA acts a lot like these natural hormones.

Natural hormones work in four main ways:
Your body makes hormones that help the pancreas make enough insulin. Natural hormones are released into the bloodstream when you eat food. These hormones send signals to the pancreas to make enough insulin.
Natural hormones help control the amount of glucose in the bloodstream by limiting how much glucose is made in the liver. The glucose from the liver is an important source of energy for the body between meals.
Natural hormones also play a role in regulating how much food you want to eat.
Natural hormones also work with glucose another way. When they are released during eating, they regulate the flow of food and glucose from the stomach to the intestines. Glucose is absorbed from the intestines into the bloodstream.

Go to tracking_blood_sugar.aspx
 

Indication

BYETTA is an injectable prescription medicine that may improve blood sugar (glucose) control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus, when used with a diet and exercise program.

BYETTA is not insulin and should not be taken instead of insulin. BYETTA can be used with Lantus® (insulin glargine), which is a long-acting insulin, but should not be taken with short- and/or rapid-acting insulin. BYETTA is not for people with type 1 diabetes or people with diabetic ketoacidosis.

Important Safety Information for BYETTA® (exenatide) injection

  • Serious side effects can happen in people who take BYETTA, including inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) which may be severe and lead to death. Before taking BYETTA, tell your healthcare provider if you have had pancreatitis, stones in your gallbladder (gallstones), a history of alcoholism, or high blood triglyceride levels. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that is severe, and will not go away. The pain may happen with or without vomiting and may be felt going from your abdomen through to your back.
  • Your risk for getting low blood sugar is higher if you take BYETTA with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar, such as a sulfonylurea or insulin. The dose of your sulfonylurea or insulin medicine may need to be lowered while you use BYETTA.
  • BYETTA should not be used in people who have severe kidney problems and should be used with caution in people who have had a kidney transplant. BYETTA may cause new or worse problems with kidney function, including kidney failure.
  • Before you use BYETTA, tell your healthcare provider if you have severe problems with your stomach, such as delayed emptying of your stomach (gastroparesis) or problems with digesting food.
  • Do not use BYETTA if you have had an allergic reaction to exenatide or any of the other ingredients in BYETTA. Severe allergic reactions can happen with BYETTA. Stop taking BYETTA and get medical help right away.
  • Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BYETTA will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your healthcare provider first if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
  • The most common side effects with BYETTA include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, feeling jittery, dizziness, headache, acid stomach, constipation, and weakness. Nausea most commonly happens when first starting BYETTA, but may become less over time.

These are not all the side effects with BYETTA. Talk to your healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Please see the BYETTA Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.

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02-05-1136-B ©2012 Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
The BYETTA mark, BYETTA design mark, BYETTA By Your Side mark, and BYETTA By Your Side design mark are registered trademarks of Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
This product, or its use, may be covered by one or more U.S. Patents including U.S. Patent Nos. 5,424,286, 6,858,576, 6,872,700, 6,902,744, 6,956,026, 7,297,761, 7,521,423, 7,741,269, in addition to others, including patents pending.
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