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Liraglutide (Subcutaneous)

Generic name: liraglutide [ lir-a-GLOO-tide ]
Brand names: Saxenda, Victoza
Drug class: Incretin mimetics

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Sep 3, 2023.

Subcutaneous route(Solution)

Liraglutide causes dose-dependent and treatment-duration-dependent thyroid C-cell tumors at clinically relevant exposures in both genders of rats and mice. It is unknown whether liraglutide causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans, as the human relevance of liraglutide-induced rodent thyroid C-cell tumors has not been determined.

Liraglutide is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of MTC and in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). Counsel patients regarding the potential risk for MTC with the use of liraglutide and inform them of symptoms of thyroid tumors (eg, a mass in the neck, dysphagia, dyspnea, persistent hoarseness). Routine monitoring of serum calcitonin or using thyroid ultrasound is of uncertain value for early detection of MTC in patients treated with liraglutide .

Uses for liraglutide

Liraglutide injection is used to treat type 2 diabetes. It is used when diet and exercise alone do not result in good blood sugar control. It is also used to help reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel problems, including heart attacks and strokes in patients with type 2 diabetes and established heart or blood vessel disease. This medicine is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist.

Liraglutide injection is also used together with a reduced-calorie diet and proper exercise to help you lose weight and help keep the lost weight from returning. It may be used in overweight people who may also have diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before using liraglutide

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 this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of Victoza® in children younger than 10 years of age. Use of Saxenda® is not recommended in children. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of liraglutide injection in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more sensitive to the effects of this medicine than younger adults.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with 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 this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

Proper use of liraglutide

When you start using Victoza®, it is very important that you check your blood sugar often, especially before and after meals, and at bedtime. This will help lower the chance of having very low blood sugar.

This medicine should come with a Medication Guide and patient instructions. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.

You may take this medicine with or without food.

If you will be using liraglutide at home, your doctor will teach you how the injections will be given. Be sure you understand exactly how the medicine is to be injected.

This medicine is given as a shot under the skin of your stomach, thighs, or upper arm. Use a different body area each time you give yourself a shot. Keep track of where you give each shot to make sure you rotate body areas.

If you use Victoza® with insulin, do not mix them into the same syringe. It is acceptable to inject these in the same body area, but the shots should not be right next to each other. Do not use Saxenda® together with insulin.

Allow the medicine to warm at room temperature before you inject it. If the medicine in the pen has changed color, looks cloudy, or if you see particles in it, do not use it.

Use a new needle each time you inject your medicine.

Never share medicine pens with others under any circumstances. It is not safe for one pen to be used for more than one person. Sharing needles or pens can result in transmission of infection.

Follow carefully the special meal plan your doctor gave you. This is the most important part of controlling your diabetes, and is necessary if Victoza® is to work properly. Also, exercise regularly and test for sugar in your blood or urine as directed.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

If you miss a dose of this medicine for 3 days or more, call your doctor to talk about how to restart your treatment.

Storage

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Store your new, unused medicine pen in its original carton in the refrigerator. Protect it from light. Do not freeze this medicine, or use it if it has been frozen. You may store the opened medicine pen in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 30 days. Throw away any unused medicine after 30 days.

Always remove the needle from the pen before storing the medicine. This prevents leakage of the remaining medicine and prevents air bubbles from forming in the cartridge.

Throw away used needles in a hard, closed container that the needles cannot poke through. Keep this container away from children and pets.

Precautions while using liraglutide

It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Do not use Saxenda® if you are also using Victoza®. They contain the same medicine.

It is very important to carefully follow any instructions from your health care team about:

Check with your doctor right away if you have a mass in the neck, difficulty with swallowing, hoarseness, or trouble breathing. These may be symptoms of a serious thyroid problem.

Pancreatitis (swelling of the pancreas) may occur while you are using this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you have sudden and severe stomach pain, chills, constipation, nausea, vomiting, fever, or lightheadedness.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, hoarseness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth after using this medicine.

This medicine does not cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). However, low blood sugar can occur when you use liraglutide with other medicines that can lower blood sugar, such as insulin, metformin, or a sulfonylurea. Low blood sugar also can occur if you delay or miss a meal or snack, exercise more than usual, drink alcohol, or cannot eat because of nausea or vomiting. Victoza® may increase the risk for low blood sugar in children 10 years of age and older, even if they are not using other medicines that can lower blood sugar.

Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) may occur if you do not take enough or skip a dose of your antidiabetic medicine, overeat or do not follow your meal plan, have a fever or infection, or do not exercise as much as usual.

This medicine may cause gallbladder problems, including gallstones. Call your doctor right away if you have stomach fullness, gaseous stomach pain, recurrent fever, or yellow eyes or skin.

If you are using Saxenda®:

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Side Effects of liraglutide

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

Less common

Rare

Incidence not known

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

Less common

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

Available Dosage Forms:

Therapeutic Class: Antidiabetic

Pharmacologic Class: Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist

Frequently asked questions

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Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.