Linagliptin

Key facts

• Linagliptin is a DPP-4 inhibitor taken by mouth once daily to lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, usually alongside diet, exercise and sometimes other diabetes medicines.
• It works with meals to smooth out blood-sugar rises rather than causing a sudden drop, and on its own it carries a low risk of hypoglycemia.
• Severe, persistent abdominal pain, sometimes with vomiting, can signal acute pancreatitis. Stop the medicine and seek medical care immediately if this happens.
• Seek urgent care for severe joint pain that starts after beginning treatment, or for skin blistering, both recognized reactions to this drug class.

What Linagliptin treats

Linagliptin treats type 2 diabetes by lowering blood glucose. It is used alone or combined with metformin, a sulfonylurea, or insulin when diet, exercise and other medicines have not brought blood sugar to target. It does not treat type 1 diabetes and is not a substitute for insulin in people who need it.

How Linagliptin works

After meals, the gut releases incretin hormones that prompt the pancreas to release insulin. An enzyme called DPP-4 quickly breaks these hormones down. Linagliptin blocks DPP-4, so incretin hormones stay active longer, producing a more measured rise in insulin and a smaller rise in blood sugar after eating.

Before you take it

• Tell your prescriber about any past episode of pancreatitis, gallstones, heavy alcohol use, or high triglycerides, all of which raise pancreatitis risk.
• Mention any history of heart failure, since DPP-4 inhibitors as a class have been linked to worsening heart failure symptoms in some patients.
• If you also take insulin or a sulfonylurea, your dose of those medicines may need lowering to avoid hypoglycemia.
• Report any unexplained skin blistering, which has been linked to this drug class and can require stopping treatment.

Side effects

Common effects include headache, a stuffy or runny nose, mild stomach upset, and joint discomfort.

Seek urgent care for:

• Severe abdominal pain that does not settle, with or without vomiting.
• Severe or disabling joint pain.
• Widespread skin blistering or peeling.
• Signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as facial swelling or difficulty breathing.
• Symptoms of very low blood sugar, including confusion, sweating or fainting, particularly if you also use insulin or a sulfonylurea.

Safety essentials

• Stop linagliptin and get medical care straight away for severe, persistent abdominal pain; acute pancreatitis is a recognized and serious risk with this medicine.
• Tell any doctor treating new joint pain or skin blistering that you take linagliptin, since both are documented reactions to DPP-4 inhibitors.
• Keep up with the blood tests and check-ups your doctor schedules to track kidney function and overall diabetes control.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.