Lixisenatide Injection: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Lixisenatide Injection (generic name: lixisenatide) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist used along with diet and exercise to help control blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is not for use in people with type 1 diabetes. It is given as a once-daily injection before the first meal of the day and may be used together with other diabetes medicines for additional glucose control.

What is Lixisenatide Injection

Lixisenatide is an injectable medicine that copies the action of a natural body hormone called GLP-1. It is used along with diet and exercise to help control blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is not for people with type 1 diabetes.

Lixisenatide Injection uses

• Type 2 diabetes
• Improving blood sugar control with diet and exercise
• Additional glucose control with other diabetes medicines
• Managing high blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes
• Supporting long-term blood sugar management

Benefits of Lixisenatide Injection

• Helps lower blood sugar
• Improves glucose control
• Supports diabetes management
• May reduce appetite
• May support weight reduction

How Lixisenatide Injection works

Lixisenatide copies a natural hormone in the body called GLP-1. It tells the pancreas to release more insulin when blood sugar is high, reduces the release of a hormone called glucagon that raises blood sugar, and slows down how fast food leaves the stomach, which helps prevent blood sugar spikes after meals and helps you feel full sooner.

Lixisenatide Injection dosage

Use this medicine once a day, within one hour (60 minutes) before the first meal of the day, at about the same time every day. It is best to inject it before the same meal each day, whichever meal is most convenient for you. Inject under the skin (subcutaneously) in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm — do not inject into a vein or muscle. Change (rotate) the exact injection spot within the chosen area each time; do not use the exact same spot repeatedly.

Check that the liquid is clear and colorless with no particles before each use; do not use it if it looks cloudy, colored, or has particles. Use a new needle for every injection and do not share your pen with anyone else, even if the needle is changed.

If you miss a dose, inject it within the hour before your next meal; do not take two doses at once to make up for a missed dose. Take oral antibiotics or acetaminophen at least one hour before your injection, or with a meal/snack at another time, since this medicine slows stomach emptying and can affect how other oral medicines are absorbed. If you take birth control pills by mouth, take them at least one hour before or eleven hours after your injection of this medicine.

Continue following the meal plan, exercise routine, and blood sugar testing schedule recommended by your doctor. Do not stop using this medicine without talking to your doctor, as this can cause your blood sugar to rise.

Available forms and strengths

• Injection

Side effects of Lixisenatide Injection

Common

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Diarrhea
• Feeling dizzy
• Indigestion
• Constipation
• Bloating
• Pain, itching, or redness at the injection site

Serious

• Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), including swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat and difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), which may be severe and lead to death
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), especially when used with a sulfonylurea or insulin
• Kidney problems, including acute kidney injury or worsening of kidney failure
• Gallbladder problems (pain in the upper stomach, fever, yellowing of skin or eyes, clay-colored stools)
• Increased chance of food or liquid getting into the lungs during surgery or procedures using general anesthesia or deep sedation
• Fast or irregular heartbeat (tachycardia) or palpitations

Warnings and precautions

• It is not known if this medicine will harm an unborn baby. It should not be used during pregnancy; insulin is recommended instead if blood sugar control is needed during pregnancy. It is not known if this medicine passes into breast milk, and it should not be used while breastfeeding.
• No dose change is needed for mild or moderate kidney problems, but this medicine is not recommended for people with severe kidney impairment or kidney failure because there isn't enough experience with it in these patients. No dose adjustment is needed for patients with liver problems.
• This medicine by itself has little to no effect on your ability to drive or use machines, but if you also take a sulfonylurea or basal insulin, you should take care to avoid low blood sugar while driving or using machines.
• This medicine has not been studied in people with a history of pancreatitis or with a stomach condition that causes slow stomach emptying (gastroparesis), and it is not recommended for people with slow stomach emptying.
• Never share your pen with another person, even if you change the needle, because this could spread a serious infection.
• This medicine should not be used together with both a basal insulin and a sulfonylurea at the same time, because this increases the risk of low blood sugar.
• People taking this medicine should be aware that dehydration from vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea could worsen kidney function, so it's important to drink enough fluids.
• This medicine can slow the absorption of other oral medicines, so some drugs like antibiotics need to be timed carefully around your injection.

Storage

• Store new, unused pens in the refrigerator at 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C)
• Do not freeze; do not use the medicine if it has been frozen
• After first use, store the pen at room temperature, no higher than 86°F (30°C)
• After activation, use the pen for up to 14 days, then throw it away even if some medicine is left
• Protect the pen from light; replace the pen cap after each use
• Do not store the pen with the needle attached
• Do not use past the expiration date printed on the label
• Keep the pen, needles, and all medicines out of the reach of children
• Dispose of needles in a puncture-resistant sharps container, and ask your pharmacist about proper disposal of medicines and needles; do not flush medicine down the toilet

When to see a doctor

• Stop using this medicine and get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, or trouble breathing or swallowing.
• Stop taking this medicine and contact a doctor right away if you have severe and persistent pain in your stomach area that may spread to your back, with or without vomiting, as this could be a sign of pancreatitis.
• Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get symptoms of gallbladder problems, such as pain in your upper stomach, fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or clay-colored stools.
• Talk with your healthcare provider about how to treat low blood sugar if you have symptoms such as headache, drowsiness, weakness, hunger, fast heartbeat, dizziness, confusion, irritability, sweating, or feeling jittery.
• Tell all your healthcare providers that you are taking this medicine before you are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures that use general anesthesia or deep sedation.

Alternatives

• Dulaglutide
• Liraglutide
• Exenatide