Pioglitazone Hcl-Glimepiride Coupons & Prices

A pioglitazone-glimepiride coupon from Rx.com can lower what you pay at the pharmacy counter for this generic type 2 diabetes tablet, the generic version of Duetact. Cash prices for the same tablet can differ a lot from one pharmacy to the next, even within the same town, so comparing before you fill is worth the minute it takes. Enter your ZIP above to see today's price at pharmacies near you. Rx.com compares prices across more than 60,000 pharmacies nationwide, and the coupon is free to use whether or not you have insurance.

What is pioglitazone and glimepiride, and how does it work?

Pioglitazone hydrochloride and glimepiride is a fixed-dose combination tablet that puts two older oral diabetes medicines into one pill. Pioglitazone is a thiazolidinedione, an insulin sensitizer that works as a PPAR-gamma agonist, helping your body respond better to the insulin it already makes. Glimepiride is a sulfonylurea, an insulin secretagogue that prompts the pancreas to release more insulin. Because the two work in different ways, they are sometimes paired.

It is FDA-approved as an addition to diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, when treatment with both pioglitazone and glimepiride is appropriate. It is typically used by people already taking a thiazolidinedione plus a sulfonylurea, or by people not controlled well enough on either one alone. It is taken by mouth once daily with the first main meal of the day. It is not for type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. Your prescriber decides whether this combination fits your situation.

What pioglitazone-glimepiride costs without insurance

An FDA-approved generic of this exact combination tablet is available, which is usually the lower-cost way to fill it. Whether your pharmacy can swap the generic for the brand automatically depends on the AB rating and on your state's substitution law, so ask the pharmacist if you are unsure. Even so, the cash price is not one fixed number. Pharmacies set their own cash prices, and the same prescription can be priced very differently at a chain, a grocery-store pharmacy, and an independent a few blocks away. That spread is the main reason to compare rather than default to the pharmacy you have always used.

There is no manufacturer savings card for this generic. If you are paying cash or your plan does not cover it well, enter your ZIP above to see today's price with the Rx.com coupon at pharmacies near you, then take the coupon to the counter. If you have insurance, it is still worth comparing the coupon price against your copay and using whichever is lower. You cannot combine a coupon with insurance on the same fill.

Alternatives and related medicines

The brand name for this combination is Duetact. The two ingredients are also sold separately as generics and brands: pioglitazone alone (pioglitazone, brand Actos) and glimepiride alone (glimepiride, brand Amaryl). Some people do better on the two as separate prescriptions, since that allows each dose to be adjusted independently. Compare prices both ways, as two generics together are not always more expensive than one combination tablet.

Other oral options your prescriber may discuss include metformin, and pioglitazone combined with metformin (pioglitazone and metformin, brand Actoplus Met). Which medicine is right depends on your blood sugar, your kidney, liver, and heart history, and your risk of low blood sugar. This is a conversation for you and your provider, not a swap to make on your own.

Safety information you should know

This medicine carries a boxed warning for congestive heart failure. Thiazolidinediones, including the pioglitazone component, can cause or worsen heart failure in some people. It is not recommended if you have symptomatic heart failure, and starting it is contraindicated if you have established NYHA Class III or IV heart failure. Watch for signs of fluid retention such as rapid weight gain, swelling, or shortness of breath, and tell your provider right away if they appear. The dose may need to be lowered or the drug stopped.

The label lists three contraindications: starting it in established NYHA Class III or IV heart failure, known hypersensitivity to pioglitazone, glimepiride, or any other component of the tablet, and a known history of an allergic reaction to sulfonamide derivatives. That last one matters because glimepiride is a sulfonylurea, so tell your prescriber and pharmacist if you have ever reacted to a sulfa drug.

Other important points from the label: the glimepiride component can cause low blood sugar, with higher risk in older adults, in kidney or liver problems, when meals are skipped, and with alcohol. The label warns that this medicine should not be used if you have active bladder cancer, and that if you have a history of bladder cancer, your prescriber should weigh the benefits of blood sugar control against the unknown risks of recurrence. The label also notes edema, weight gain, and dose-related fluid retention (worst when combined with insulin), an increased risk of bone fractures especially in women, macular edema, effects on the liver (liver enzymes should be checked before starting, and it should not be used in active liver disease), anemia from dilution of the blood, possible hemolytic anemia in people with G6PD deficiency, and the return of ovulation in premenopausal women who were not ovulating, which can make pregnancy possible. It is also not for type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. This is a summary, not medical advice. Read the label that comes with your prescription and talk with your doctor or pharmacist about your own risks.