Generic Name: exenatide (ex EN a tide)
Brand Names: Byetta Prefilled Pen
What is exenatide?
Exenatide is an injectable diabetes medicine that helps control blood sugar levels. This medication helps your pancreas produce insulin more efficiently.
Exenatide is used to treat type 2 diabetes. Other diabetes medicines are sometimes used in combination with exenatide if needed.
Exenatide may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about exenatide?
Do not use exenatide to treat type 1 diabetes, or if you are in a state of diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment with insulin). You should not use exenatide if you have severe kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis), of if you have a severe stomach disorder that causes slow digestion.
Tell your doctor about all other oral diabetes medications you take.
You should not use exenatide together with a fast-acting or short-acting insulin, such as insulin aspart (NovoLOG), insulin glulisine (Apidra), insulin lispro (HumaLOG), or regular insulin (HumuLIN R, NovoLIN R, and others).
You must use this medication within 60 minutes (1 hour) BEFORE eating a meal. Do not use exenatide after eating a meal.
Stop using exenatide and call your doctor at once if you have severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, with nausea, vomiting, and a fast heart rate. These could be symptoms of pancreatitis.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using exenatide?
Do not use exenatide to treat type 1 diabetes, or if you are in a state of diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment with insulin). You should not use exenatide if you have severe kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis), of if you have a severe stomach disorder that causes slow digestion.
To make sure you can safely use exenatide, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:
kidney disease or a history of kidney transplant;
problems with digestion;
a history of pancreatitis or gall stones;
a history of alcoholism; or
a history of high triglycerides (a type of fat in blood).
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether exenatide will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. Exenatide can make birth control pills less effective. If you take birth control pills, take your pill at least 1 hour before your exenatide injection. It is not known whether exenatide passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How should I use exenatide?
Use exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results.
Exenatide is injected under the skin. You may be shown how to use injections at home. Do not self-inject this medicine if you do not fully understand how to give the injection and properly dispose of used needles and syringes.
Exenatide is usually injected twice a day, before the morning and evening meal. You must use this medicine within 60 minutes (1 hour) before eating the meal. Your exenatide doses should be given at least 6 hours apart. Do not use exenatide after eating a meal.
Exenatide comes in a prefilled injection pen with a "Pen User Manual" showing instructions for using the pen and injecting the medicine. Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
Pen needles are not included with this medicine. Ask your doctor, diabetes counselor, or pharmacist which needle size is best for you.
Never share an injection pen or cartridge with another person. Sharing injection pens or cartridges can allow disease such as hepatitis or HIV to pass from one person to another.
Your blood sugar will need to be checked often, and you may need other blood tests at your doctor's office. Visit your doctor regularly.
Know the signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and how to recognize them: headache, hunger, weakness, sweating, tremors, irritability, or trouble concentrating.
Always keep a source of sugar available in case you have symptoms of low blood sugar. Sugar sources include orange juice, glucose gel, candy, or milk. If you have severe hypoglycemia and cannot eat or drink, use an injection of glucagon. Your doctor can give you a prescription for a glucagon emergency injection kit and tell you how to give the injection. Be sure your family and close friends know how to help you in an emergency.
Check your blood sugar carefully during a time of stress or illness, if you travel, exercise more than usual, drink alcohol, or skip meals. These things can affect your glucose levels and your dose needs may also change.
Your doctor may want you to stop using exenatide for a short time if you become ill, have a fever or infection, or if you have surgery or a medical emergency.
Ask your doctor how to adjust your exenatide dose if needed. Do not change your medication dose or schedule without your doctor's advice. Store unused exenatide injection pens in the refrigerator, protected from light. Do not freeze them, and throw away any exenatide pen that has become frozen. After your first use of a pen, it may then be stored at room temperature, away from heat and bright light. Do not store the exenatide pen with the needle attached. Use the exenatide pen for only 30 days and then throw it away, even if it still has medicine in it. Do not use the medicine after the expiration date on the label has passed.
Use a disposable needle only once. Throw away used needles in a puncture-proof container (ask your pharmacist where you can get one and how to dispose of it). Keep this container out of the reach of children and pets.
If the needle is left on, medicine may leak from the pen or air bubbles may form in the cartridge. Keep your exenatide pen, pen needles, and all medicines out of the reach of children.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Use the missed dose as soon as you remember, but only if you have not yet eaten a meal. Skip the missed dose if you have already eaten a meal, or if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. Overdose can cause severe nausea and vomiting, or signs of low blood sugar (headache, weakness, dizziness, confusion, irritability, hunger, fast heartbeat, sweating, and tremor).
What should I avoid while using exenatide?
Avoid drinking alcohol. It can lower your blood sugar.
If you take any type of antibiotic, take it at least 1 hour before you use exenatide.
Exenatide side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using exenatide and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
swelling, weight gain, feeling short of breath, urinating less than usual or not at all;
drowsiness, confusion, mood changes, increased thirst, diarrhea;
dull pain in your middle or lower back; or
severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, vomiting, fast heart rate.
Less serious side effects may include:
nausea, upset stomach, diarrhea or constipation;
weight loss; or
dizziness, headache, or feeling jittery.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Exenatide Dosing Information
Usual Adult Dose for Diabetes Mellitus Type II:
5 micrograms subcutaneously twice daily within the 60 minute period before the morning and evening meals. Exenatide should not be administered after a meal. Based on clinical response, the dose can be increased to 10 micrograms twice daily after 1 month of therapy.
What other drugs will affect exenatide?
You may be more likely to have hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) if you use exenatide with oral diabetes medications that can lower blood sugar. Before using exenatide, tell your doctor if you use any of these: chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glimepiride (Amaryl, Avandaryl, Duetact), glipizide (Glucotrol, Metaglip), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glucovance), tolazamide (Tolinase), or tolbutamide (Orinase). Exenatide can make it harder for your body to absorb other medications you take by mouth. Tell your doctor if you are taking:
levothyroxine (Synthroid, Levothroid);
lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);
lovastatin (Mevacor, Altoprev, Advicor);
pimozide (Orap);
cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune), sirolimus (Rapamune) or tacrolimus (Prograf);
theophylline (Elixophyllin, Theo-24, Theochron, Uniphyl);
a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven);
ergot medicine such as ergotamine (Ergomar, Cafergot) or dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45, Migranal Nasal Spray);
seizure medication such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol), divalproex (Depakote), ethosuximide (Zarontin), phenytoin (Dilantin), or valproic acid (Depakene, Stavzor); or
heart or blood pressure medication such as digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps), disopyramide (Norpace), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), procainamide (Procan, Pronestyl), or quinidine (Quin-G).
This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with exenatide. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.
More exenatide resources
- Exenatide Side Effects (in more detail)
- Exenatide Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
- Exenatide Drug Interactions
- Exenatide Support Group
- 52 Reviews for Exenatide - Add your own review/rating
- exenatide Subcutaneous Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information
- Exenatide Professional Patient Advice (Wolters Kluwer)
- Exenatide Monograph (AHFS DI)
- Exenatide MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)
Compare exenatide with other medications
- Diabetes, Type 2
Where can I get more information?
- Your pharmacist can provide more information about exenatide.
See also: exenatide side effects (in more detail)
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