Pramlintide/Inhaled Anticholinergics
This information is generalized and not intended as specific medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional before taking or discontinuing any drug or commencing any course of treatment.
Medical warning:
Serious. These medicines may interact and cause very harmful effects. Contact your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) for more information.
How the interaction occurs:
Pramlintide slows down the movement of food through your stomach. Some patients have the same effect from inhaled anticholinergics.
What might happen:
If you take pramlintide with inhaled anticholinergic medicines, it may slow down the movement of food through your stomach too much and you may develop low blood sugar. Symptoms of low blood sugar include chills, cold sweat, dizziness, drowsiness, shaking, rapid heartbeat, weakness, headache, fainting, tingling of the hands or feet, or hunger. Severe low blood sugar makes it hard to think clearly, drive a car, use heavy machinery, or do other risky activities where you could hurt yourself or others.
What you should do about this interaction:
Make sure your healthcare professionals (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) know that you are taking these medicines together. Your doctor may want you to check your blood sugar more often while taking them together.Carry a source of glucose (such as glucose tablets or gel, table sugar, honey, candy, orange juice, or non-diet soda) with you to quickly raise your blood sugar level if it is too low. Let your doctor know that you are experiencing low blood sugar.Your healthcare professionals may already be aware of this interaction and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.
References:
1.Symlin (pramlintide acetate) US prescribing information. Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. March, 2005.
2.Combivent (ipratropium bromide and albuterol sulfate) US prescribing information. Boehringer Ingelheim April, 2011.
3.Spiriva (tiotropium bromide) US prescribing information. Boehringer Ingelheim July, 2011.
