High cholesterol seems to often accompany type 2 diabetes that may lead to drastic conditions like stroke, kidney disease and blindness if not attended properly. On this front, the U.S Food and Drug Administration has approved the combination therapy Juvisync with fixed-dose combination (FDC) prescription. It comprises sitagliptin and simvastatin in one tablet for adults with high cholesterol and diabetes who require both the pills.
Sitagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitor that is touted to improve the body’s own capacity to lower higher levels of blood sugar. It is approved for use in combination with diet and exercise to enhance glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Simvastatin is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor or statin that is approved for usage along with diet and exercise to cut the levels of bad cholesterol in the bloodstream.
“This is the first product to combine a type 2 diabetes drug with a cholesterol lowering drug in one tablet. However, to ensure safe and effective use of this product, tablets containing different doses of sitagliptin and simvastatin in fixed-dose combination have been developed to meet the different needs of individual patients. Dose selection should factor in what other drugs the patient is taking,†explained Mary H. Parks, M.D., director of the Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
The FDC is based on significant experience with both the tablets and the ability of a single pill to deliver the same effect as and when sitagliptin and simvastatin are taken individually. Juvisync is a combination prescribed for convenience and ought to be used only when it is suitable for the patient to consume both the medicines.
Some of the side-effects of Juvisync include upper respiratory infection, blocked or running nose, sore throat, headache, muscle and stomach pain, constipation and nausea. Juvisync is produced by MSD International GmbH Clonmel, Co, in Tipperary, Ireland.