pramlintide (Symlin) Uses, Side Effects & Dosage

What is pramlintide? What is pramlintide used for?

Pramlintide is an injectable drug that lowers the level of sugar (glucose) in blood. It is used for treating type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Pramlintide is a synthetic (man-made) hormone that resembles human amylin. Amylin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas and released into the blood after meals where it helps the body to regulate levels of blood glucose. Amylin acts in several ways to control blood glucose. It slows the rate at which food (including glucose) is absorbed from the intestine. Amylin reduces the production of glucose by the liver by inhibiting the action of glucagon, a hormone produced by the pancreas that stimulates the production of glucose by the liver. Amylin also reduces appetite. In studies, pramlintide-treated patients achieved lower blood glucose levels and experienced weight loss. Pramlintide was approved by the FDA in March 2005.

What brand names are available for pramlintide?

Symlin

Is pramlintide available as a generic drug?

No.

Do I need a prescription for pramlintide?

Yes.

What are the side effects of pramlintide?

Common side effects of pramlintide include:

nausea,
hypoglycemia (excessively low blood glucose),
vomiting,
headache,
abdominal pain,
weight loss, and
fatigue.

Nausea decreases with continued administration of
pramlintide and is less severe when pramlintide is slowly increased to the
desired dose. When used with insulin, especially in patients with type 1
diabetes, severe hypoglycemia may occur. If severe hypoglycemia occurs, it
usually manifests within 3 hours after receiving pramlintide.

What is the dosage for pramlintide?

Pramlintide should be administered under the skin
(subcutaneously) prior to major meals. Patients with type 1 diabetes should
start treatment with a dose of 15 mcg that is increased by 15 mcg increments to
30 or 60 mcg as tolerated.

Treatment of type 2 diabetes should start with 60
mcg, the dose increasing to 120 mcg as needed. Insulin doses should be reduced
when pramlintide is started.

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Which drugs or supplements interact with pramlintide?

Pramlintide slows the transit of food through the
intestine and, therefore, it should not be administered with other drugs that
slow down the intestine (for example, atropine) or slow the absorption of food
(for example,

acarbose [Precose]). Pramlintide may interfere with (slow) the absorption of orally
administered drugs. To avoid this interaction, orally administered drugs that
require rapid absorption should be administered 1 hour before or 2 hours after
injections of pramlintide. Insulin alters the chemical properties of pramlintide.
Therefore, pramlintide and insulin should not be mixed in the same syringe.

Is pramlintide safe to take if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?

There are no adequate studies of pramlintide in
pregnant
women.

There are no adequate studies of pramlintide in
nursing mothers, and it is not known if pramlintide is excreted in human
breast
milk.

What else should I know about pramlintide?

What preparations of pramlintide are available?

Sterile injection: 5 ml vials, 600 mcg/ml. Multidose
SymlinPen: 1000 mcg/ml (1.5 and 2.7 ml).

How should I keep pramlintide stored?

Unopened vials and pen-injectors should be refrigerated
between 2-8 C (36-46 F). Opened (in use) vials and pen-injectors should be
refrigerated or kept at room temperature (no greater than 86 F, 30 C ) and used
within 28 days.