Zensita-M 500 Tablet is a combination drug of Sitagliptin (DPP4 inhibitors) and Metformin (Biguanides), belonging to the class of anti-diabetic agents used to treat type II diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which either the body stops producing enough insulin (the hormone which helps to decrease sugar levels in the blood), or there is resistance to the action of insulin. As a result, insulin is produced in large amounts, but it cannot act on the body's organs.
Sitagliptin belongs to the class of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors that work by increasing the amounts of certain natural substances that lower blood sugar when it is high. Another medicine, Metformin, belongs to the class of biguanides that lower glucose production in the liver, delay glucose absorption from the intestines, and increase the body's sensitivity to insulin. Thus, Zensita-M 500 Tablet controls blood glucose levels from rising to very high levels after meals.
Zensita-M 500 Tablet should be taken with food to avoid an upset stomach. Zensita-M 500 Tablet should be taken at the same time of the day each time for best results. For better advice, your doctor will decide what dose should be taken, and it can change in time depending on your condition. The most common side effect of Zensita-M 500 Tablet is hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels), characterised by dizziness, sweating, palpitations, hunger pangs, dry mouth and skin etc. So, to avoid hypoglycemia, you should not miss meals and should also carry some form of sugar with you. Other side effects include taste change, nausea, diarrhoea, stomach pain, headache, and upper respiratory symptoms.
Zensita-M 500 Tablet should not be stopped even if you feel better, without consulting the doctor as your sugar level keeps changing. If you stop taking Zensita-M 500 Tablet abruptly, it may increase your sugar levels, which could further increase the risk of eyesight loss (retinopathy), kidney (nephropathy) and nerve damage (neuropathy). Zensita-M 500 Tablet should not be taken if you have type 1 diabetes mellitus or severe kidney or liver disease. Please inform your doctor if you have any type of heart disease, are planning to get pregnant or are breastfeeding.