When it comes to medicines specifically developed for the treatment on type 2 diabetes (or non-insulin-dependent cases of type 1 diabetes), it is impossible not to mention one of the most successful medicines of this kind – Jentadueto. Produced by Boehringer Ingelheim pharmaceutical company, this medicine contains two active ingredients, namely, linagliptin and metformin.

When taken in tandem, these will significantly increase the efficiency of insulin in the body, helping to manage blood sugar levels. If you’re looking to buy Jentadueto in the UK, you should also know that you will be able to do so only with a valid prescription issued by a certified medical professional. With just two tablets per day, this combined diabetes medicine will significantly improve your blood sugar levels.

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Diabetes: A short introduction

Roughly every nine out of ten diabetics in the UK is affected by type 2 diabetes, making this condition extremely prevalent among the 3 million people affected by some form of diabetes in the United Kingdom alone. While these two conditions are often confused among the laymen, there are some important differences between them.

First and foremost, while diabetes of type 2 is developed later in life, usually due to certain unhealthy lifestyle choices and practices, type 1 diabetes tends to manifest in the early years, when the immune system will mistakenly inhibit pancreatic function. As such, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition of a kind and it makes those affected completely dependent on external sources of insulin, since the body will not produce it at all.

On the other hand, people affected by type 2 diabetes will still produce insulin, but in a quantity that won’t be able to satisfy the demands of the organism. As a result, glucose levels won’t be properly managed, which can in turn lead to numerous further complications and even potentially life threating conditions such as kidney failure or heart disease.

There are numerous risk factors which might serve as additional indicators that you might be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. These include the family history of diabetes, age (people older than 40 are at significantly greater risk), or if you are of south Asian, Chinese, African or Caribbean descent. Finally, and as is familiar to most, obesity and being overweight are also seen as very prominent contributing factors when it comes to development of diabetes type 2.

Type 2 diabetes symptoms

People affected by diabetes commonly report

  • Persistent thirst
  • Fatigue
  • Blurred vision
  • Dry eyes
  • Dramatic and unexplained drops in weight
  • Increased frequency of urination

In addition to these very common symptoms, diabetes type 2 is marked by an array of other symptoms which can vary significantly among individuals, remaining in a way specific for each person affected.

How is diabetes treated and managed?

Once diabetes has been identified and properly diagnosed, the doctor will give you advice about how to proceed. The exact cause of action will depend mostly on the progression that the condition has made prior to being discovered. If it is diagnosed early, the doctor will first try to use non-medicinal approaches to try and bring your blood sugar levels to normal. This includes several lifestyle changes (if needed):

  • Changing your dietary habits and making a strict diet plan
  • Making a regular exercise routine
  • Quitting smoking
  • Limiting alcohol consumption
  • Losing weight (if needed)

However, eventually when these measures begin failing to produce the desired results, the doctor will have to introduce prescription medicines too.

How does Jentadueto help with diabetes?

Jentadueto is an example of so-called combination antidiabetics, prescription medicines that are administered once a single-agent treatment failed to suffice. In people affected by diabetes type 2, the levels of sugar in the blood will be so high that insulin, which is crucial for the extraction of sugar from blood and its subsequent transformation into the energy the cells use to live, won’t be able to keep up. As a result, the high concentration of sugar in the blood will begin to damage the blood vessels, subsequently leading to injuries to organs.

The active ingredients of Jentadueto work in various ways in order to keep the blood glucose down. Metformin, certainly the better-known of the two, is classified as a biguanide and it works by lowering the amount of sugar that is naturally produced in the liver while at the same time increasing the sensitivity of the muscle cells to insulin, allowing them to extract more sugar from the blood than they would be able to without this medicine. Finally, metformin will also significantly decrease the process of extraction of sugar from food in the digestive tract.

On the other hand, somewhat lesser known linagliptin belongs to a category of pharmaceutical compounds called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors. It works by stopping the enzymatic disintegration of two incretin hormones which play a role in boosting the insulin synthesis in the pancreas after the consumption of food. At the same time, this compound will lower the presence of glucagon enzyme, consequently reducing the sugar production taking place in the liver.

How is Jentadueto used?

In order to ensure optimal results and minimise the risk of side effects, it is important to use Jentadueto exactly as instructed by your prescriber. A detailed instruction and other useful information are also provided in the official patient information leaflet that you can find within every pack of the medicine.

Here we will provide you with just the most basic guidelines so you could get an idea of how Jentadueto treatment looks like.

  • Always use the medicine exactly as prescribed
  • The usual dose is one tablet two times per day
  • Take the tablet with food as this will reduce the likelihood of stomach problems
  • Do not exceed the prescribed amount
  • If you miss a dose, do not double up the next one

What are Jentadueto side effects?

As all prescription medicines, Jentadueto too has been known to cause certain side effects. Most dangerous of those can be easily recognised by symptoms indicative of hypoglycaemia, angioedema, lactic acidosis, an allergic reaction or pancreatitis. If you notice any of these, contact your doctor or local emergency service immediately.

Is Jentadueto safe for me?

This is one question that can be properly answered only by a certified medical professional familiar with your medical profile and history. However, what we can do is list those situations when the use of Jentadueto will be contraindicated.

This can be the case if you are currently using any of the following medicines:

  • Carbamazepine
  • Bronchodilators
  • Iodinated contrast agents
  • Diuretics
  • Rifampicin
  • Corticosteroids

In addition to this, the following medical conditions will also make the use of Jentadueto risky:

  • Kidney problems
  • Severe infection
  • Dehydration
  • Diabetic coma
  • Diabetic ketoacidosis
  • Heart disease or recent heart attack
  • Severe cardiovascular or circulatory problems
  • Liver dysfunction
  • Alcoholism