Type II Diabetes
Avandia, also known as rosiglitazone, is used for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a disorder in which the body becomes resistant to the effects of insulin, combined with lowered insulin secretion. Insulin is a hormone that's produced by the body in response to increased levels of glucose in the blood. When insulin is secreted, it causes the liver and muscles to absorb some of the glucose in the blood, which makes it available for use. It also prevents extended periods with elevated blood glucose levels, which can lead to heart disease and blood clots.
Avandia Mechanism
Avandia's function is to make the muscle and liver cells more sensitive to the effects of insulin. This allows whatever insulin is secreted to be more potent, which causes increased glucose adsorption from the blood. As a result, the long-term levels of glucose in the blood decrease. Avandia works by binding to the parts of the cell that respond to insulin and helps amplify the signal. Because Avandia only provides benefits in the presence of insulin, it's only useful for Type 2 diabetes (in which insulin is still produced), not Type 1. Avandia is commonly used in combination with other drugs such as metformin, which work to increase insulin secretion.
Considerations and Side Effects
Use of Avandia has been implicated in increasing the risk of fractures to the hands, feet and upper arms in females. It has also been shown that long-term use of Avandia can lead to an increased risk of heart attack, as well as an increase in the likelihood of cardiovascular disease. Taking rifampin (an antibiotic used to treat tuberculosis) increases the rate at which Avandia is broken down, lessening its effects. Conversely, taking the lipid-lowering agent gemfibrozil has been shown to increase the levels of Avandia in the blood, which can heighten side effects.
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