Linagliptin is a medicine used to treat type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is an illness where the body does not make enough insulin, or the insulin that it makes does not work properly. This can cause high blood sugar levels (hyperglycaemia).

Linagliptin is prescribed for people who still have high blood sugar, even though they have a sensible diet and exercise regularly.

Linagliptin is only available on prescription.

It comes as tablets that you swallow. It also comes as tablets containing a mixture of linagliptin and metformin. Metformin is another drug used to treat diabetes.

• Linagliptin works by increasing the amount of insulin that your body makes. Insulin is the hormone that controls sugar levels in your blood.
• You take linagliptin once a day.
• Most people have no side effects, or only minor ones, when taking linagliptin.
• It will not usually make you put on or lose weight.
• Linagliptin is also called by the brand names Trajenta and (when mixed with metformin) Jentadueto.

Linagliptin can be taken by adults (aged 18 years and older).

Linagliptin is not suitable for some people. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor if you:

• have had an allergic reaction to linagliptin or any other medicines in the past
• have (or have previously had) problems with your pancreas
• are pregnant or breastfeeding, or trying to get pregnant

This medicine is not used to treat type 1 diabetes (when your body does not produce insulin).

Take linagliptin once a day.

You can take it at any time - for example, in the morning or in the evening. Just try to take it at the same time every day.

Swallow the tablet whole, without breaking it.

How much will I take?

Linagliptin comes as 5mg tablets.

The usual dose is 5mg a day.

What if I take too much?

What if I forget to take it?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember, unless it's nearly time for your next dose, in which case skip the missed dose.

Never take 2 tablets on the same day.

If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you.

You could ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to remember to take your medicines.

Like all medicines, linagliptin can cause side effects in some people. But most people have no side effects, or only minor ones, when taking it.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you get any side effects that bother you or do not go away.

Serious side effects

It happens rarely, but some people may have serious side effects after taking linagliptin.

Call your doctor straight away if you have:

• severe stomach pains
• yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow

Low blood sugar

Linagliptin does not usually cause low blood sugar (known as hypoglycaemia, or "hypos") when taken on its own.

But hypos can happen when you take linagliptin with other diabetes medicines, such as insulin or gliclazide.

Early warning signs of low blood sugar include:

• feeling hungry
• trembling or shaking
• sweating
• confusion
• difficulty concentrating

It's also possible for your blood sugar to go too low while you're asleep.

If this happens, it can make you feel sweaty, tired and confused when you wake up.

Low blood sugar may happen if you:

• take too much of some types of diabetes medicines
• eat meals irregularly or skip meals
• are fasting
• do not eat a healthy diet and are not getting enough nutrients
• change what you eat
• increase your physical activity without eating more to compensate
• drink alcohol, especially after skipping a meal
• take some other medicines or herbal medicines at the same time
• have a hormone disorder, such as hypothyroidism
• have kidney or liver problems

To prevent hypos, it's important to have regular meals, including breakfast. Never miss or delay a meal.

If you're planning to exercise more than usual, make sure you eat carbohydrates like bread, pasta or cereals before, during or after exercise.

Always carry a fast-acting carbohydrate with you, like sugar cubes, fruit juice or some sweets, in case your blood sugar level gets low. Artificial sweeteners will not help.

You may also need to eat a starchy carbohydrate, like a sandwich or a biscuit, to maintain your blood sugar for longer.

If taking in sugar does not help or the hypo symptoms come back, contact your doctor or the nearest hospital.

Make sure your friends and family know about your diabetes and the symptoms of low blood sugar levels so they can recognise a hypo if it happens.

Serious allergic reaction

It's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to linagliptin.

These are not all the side effects of linagliptin.

For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.

Linagliptin is generally not recommended in pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Talk to your doctor, as there may be other medicines that you can take instead of linagliptin.

Some medicines and linagliptin can interfere with each other. Some can increase your risk of getting side effects.

Tell your doctor if you're taking any of these medicines before you start linagliptin:

• insulin or any other anti-diabetic medicine
• sulphonylureas, such as glimepiride or glipizide (used to treat diabetes)
• rifampicin (antibiotic used to treat tuberculosis)
• carbamazepine or phenobarbital or phenytoin (used to treat epilepsy)

Make sure that your doctor and pharmacist know you're taking linagliptin before starting or stopping any other medicine.

Mixing linagliptin with herbal remedies and supplements

There's very little information about taking herbal medicines and supplements with linagliptin.