TRULICITY (DULAGLUTIDE)

Description

What is Trulicity (Dulaglutide)?

Trulicity is a weekly injectable prescription medication used to help improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. Its chemical name is dulaglutide, which belongs to the GLP-1 agonist family of drugs.

What is it used for?

Trulicity is used to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes in combination with:

• A healthy diet and regular exercise in patients who cannot use Metformin due to a contraindication or an intolerance
• Metformin, when a healthy diet and regular exercise have not reached acceptable levels of blood sugar control
• Metformin and a sulfonylurea, when a healthy diet along with regular exercise plus dual therapy with Metformin and a sulfonylurea have not reached acceptable levels of blood sugar control
• Mealtime insulin with Metformin, when a healthy diet and regular exercise plus insulin therapy (up to two injections of mealtime insulin per day) with or without oral diabetes medications, have not reached acceptable levels of blood sugar control

Trulicity should not be used if you have type 1 diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis, or a history of severe gastrointestinal (GI) disease. This is not a substitute for insulin therapy, and has not been approved for use in children under 18 years of age.

How does it work?

Trulicity belongs to a type of medicines called GLP-1 receptor agonists (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists). It can help to lower your blood sugar levels by helping your body release more insulin when your blood sugar is high.It increases the release of insulin by beta cells in the pancreas, slows the time it takes food to leave the stomach and also reduces glucagon secretion by the pancreas, which normally increases blood sugar levels.

How to take this medication

Trulicity is a solution for subcutaneous (under the skin) injection. It is available as single-use, pre-filled pens or single-use, pre-filled syringes in either 0.75 mg/0.5 mL or 1.5 mg/0.5 mL strengths. Each pen contains one weekly dose.Do not change your dose or stop treatment without speaking with your doctor first. Your doctor will likely start you on a healthy diet and regular exercise program. Stay on this program throughout your treatment unless advised otherwise by your doctor.Your doctor will instruct you about how to properly use this product. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the instructions for use in the package. The injection pen has been shown to be easy to learn and easy to use. It is an injection which is given under the skin. Do not inject into your muscle or vein. Suitable injection sites are around your stomach area (abdomen), your upper leg (thigh),or your upper arm.

• Change your injection site every week. Never use the same site for each injection
• You can give yourself the injection at any time of the day
• If you give yourself insulin along with Trulicity, do not mix them in the same container. Give yourself separate injections of both. You may give both injections in the same area of the body, but not the same injection site. For example, you may use your stomach area, but do not inject too close to one another.
• Never share your needles, pen, or syringe with another person. You may give another person an infection or get an infection from them, even if they are family
• Keep all pens and needles out of the reach of children