Get to know JANUVIA

JANUVIA may help lower your blood sugar (A1C).

JANUVIA is a once-daily prescription pill for adults with type 2 diabetes. JANUVIA, along with diet and exercise, helps lower your blood sugar (A1C).

  • A1C is a blood test that shows the average amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood over the past 2 to 3 months, letting you know how well your blood sugar is being controlled over time.

Are you already on metformin but not at your A1C goal? Adding JANUVIA to metformin may help.

JANUVIA was studied for 24 weeks in adults with type 2 diabetes whose A1C was not controlled with metformin, along with diet and exercise. In the study, either placebo or JANUVIA 100 mg was added. Adding JANUVIA helped people to:

  • Significantly lower A1C levels
    People who added JANUVIA saw an additional drop in their A1C number:
    • JANUVIA lowered A1C an average of 0.7%, from 8% at start
    • The placebo lowered A1C an average of 0%, from 8% at start
  • Reach their A1C goal
    In the same study, more than twice as many people who added JANUVIA lowered their A1C to less than 7% compared to those who added the placebo.
    Percent of people in the study who reached an A1C goal of less than 7%:
    • 47% who took JANUVIA
    • 18% who took the placebo

For many adults, the American Diabetes Association recommends an A1C goal of less than 7%. Some people might need a different individual A1C goal.

Be sure to talk to your doctor about what A1C goal is right for you.

Talk to your doctor about JANUVIA

Can JANUVIA cause your blood sugar to go too low (hypoglycemia)?

JANUVIA, by itself, is not likely to cause hypoglycemia because it works less when your blood sugar is low.

If you take JANUVIA with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar, such as a sulfonylurea or insulin, your risk of getting low blood sugar is higher. The dose of your sulfonylurea medicine or insulin may need to be lowered while you use JANUVIA. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include:

  • headache
  • drowsiness
  • irritability
  • hunger
  • dizziness
  • confusion
  • sweating
  • feeling jittery
  • weakness
  • fast heart beat

Learn more about how JANUVIA works

Is weight gain a side effect of JANUVIA?

Keeping a healthy weight is an important part of taking care of your diabetes. Most people who took JANUVIA by itself did not gain weight.

Your doctor may prescribe JANUVIA alone or together with other diabetes medicines to help control blood sugar. Take JANUVIA exactly as your doctor tells you and follow your doctor’s treatment plan for healthy eating and exercise.

Learn more about the possible risks and side effects of JANUVIA

Interested in lowering your out-of-pocket costs for your prescription? See if you qualify.

You may be able to take advantage of prescription savings on JANUVIA. Eligible, privately insured patients may pay as little as $5 per prescription. Maximum savings is $150 per prescription. The coupon may be redeemed once every 30 days.

See coupon offer
Not valid for patients who are uninsured or patients with Medicare or other Government Program insurance. Not all patients are eligible. Certain restrictions apply. See Terms and Conditions.

What is JANUVIA?

JANUVIA (jah-NEW-vee-ah) is a once-daily prescription pill that, along with diet and exercise, helps lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.

JANUVIA should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes. If you have had pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), it is not known if you have a higher chance of getting it while taking JANUVIA.

Selected Risk Information About JANUVIA

Before you take JANUVIA, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. JANUVIA can cause serious side effects, including pancreatitis, which may be severe and lead to death. Before you start taking JANUVIA, tell your doctor if you’ve ever had pancreatitis. Stop taking JANUVIA and call your doctor right away if you have pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that is severe and will not go away. The pain may be felt going from your abdomen through to your back. The pain may happen with or without vomiting. These may be symptoms of pancreatitis.

Before you start taking JANUVIA, tell your doctor if you have ever had heart failure (your heart does not pump blood well enough) or have problems with your kidneys. Contact your doctor right away if you have increasing shortness of breath or trouble breathing (especially when you lie down); swelling or fluid retention (especially in the feet, ankles, or legs); an unusually fast increase in weight; or unusual tiredness. These may be symptoms of heart failure.

Kidney problems, sometimes requiring dialysis, have been reported.

Do not take JANUVIA if you are allergic to any of its ingredients, including sitagliptin. Symptoms of serious allergic reactions to JANUVIA, including rash, hives, and swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and throat that may cause difficulty breathing or swallowing, can occur. If you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, stop taking JANUVIA and call your doctor right away or get emergency medical help.

Some people who take medicines called DPP-4 inhibitors like JANUVIA, may develop joint pain that can be severe. Call your doctor if you have severe joint pain.

Some people who take medicines called DPP-4 inhibitors like JANUVIA may develop a skin reaction called bullous pemphigoid that can require treatment in a hospital. Tell your doctor right away if you develop blisters or the breakdown of the outer layer of your skin (erosion). Your doctor may tell you to stop taking JANUVIA.

If you take JANUVIA with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), such as a sulfonylurea or insulin, your risk of getting low blood sugar is higher. The dose of your sulfonylurea medicine or insulin may need to be lowered while you use JANUVIA. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include headache, drowsiness, irritability, hunger, dizziness, confusion, sweating, feeling jittery, weakness, and fast heart beat.

Your doctor will do blood tests to check how well your kidneys are working before and during your treatment with JANUVIA. The most common side effects of JANUVIA are upper respiratory tract infection, stuffy or runny nose and sore throat, and headache.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please read the accompanying Medication Guide for JANUVIA® (sitagliptin) tablets and discuss it with your doctor. The physician Prescribing Information also is available.

Having trouble paying for your Merck medicine? Merck may be able to help. Visit merckhelps.com.

What is JANUVIA® (sitagliptin)?

JANUVIA (jah-NEW-vee-ah) is a once-daily prescription pill that, along with diet and exercise, helps lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.

JANUVIA should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes. If you have had pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), it is not known if you have a higher chance of getting it while taking JANUVIA.

JANUVIA (jah-NEW-vee-ah) is a once-daily prescription pill that,

JANUVIA (jah-NEW-vee-ah) is a once-daily prescription pill that, along with diet and exercise, helps lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.

JANUVIA should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Selected Risk Information About JANUVIA® (sitagliptin)

Before you take JANUVIA, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. JANUVIA can cause serious side effects, including pancreatitis, which may be severe and lead to death. Before you start taking JANUVIA, tell your doctor if you’ve ever had pancreatitis. Stop taking JANUVIA and call your doctor right away if you have pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that is severe and will not go away. The pain may be felt going from your abdomen through to your back. The pain may happen with or without vomiting. These may be symptoms of pancreatitis.

Before you start taking JANUVIA, tell your doctor if you have ever had heart failure (your heart does not pump blood well enough) or have problems with your kidneys. Contact your doctor right away if you have increasing shortness of breath or trouble breathing (especially when you lie down); swelling or fluid retention (especially in the feet, ankles, or legs); an unusually fast increase in weight; or unusual tiredness. These may be symptoms of heart failure.

Kidney problems, sometimes requiring dialysis, have been reported.

Do not take JANUVIA if you are allergic to any of its ingredients, including sitagliptin. Symptoms of serious allergic reactions to JANUVIA, including rash, hives, and swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and throat that may cause difficulty breathing or swallowing, can occur. If you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, stop taking JANUVIA and call your doctor right away or get emergency medical help.

Some people who take medicines called DPP-4 inhibitors like JANUVIA, may develop joint pain that can be severe. Call your doctor if you have severe joint pain.

Some people who take medicines called DPP-4 inhibitors like JANUVIA may develop a skin reaction called bullous pemphigoid that can require treatment in a hospital. Tell your doctor right away if you develop blisters or the breakdown of the outer layer of your skin (erosion). Your doctor may tell you to stop taking JANUVIA.

If you take JANUVIA with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), such as a sulfonylurea or insulin, your risk of getting low blood sugar is higher. The dose of your sulfonylurea medicine or insulin may need to be lowered while you use JANUVIA. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include headache, drowsiness, irritability, hunger, dizziness, confusion, sweating, feeling jittery, weakness, and fast heart beat.

Your doctor will do blood tests to check how well your kidneys are working before and during your treatment with JANUVIA. The most common side effects of JANUVIA are upper respiratory tract infection, stuffy or runny nose and sore throat, and headache.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please read the accompanying Medication Guide for JANUVIA® (sitagliptin) tablets and discuss it with your doctor. The physician Prescribing Information also is available.

Having trouble paying for your Merck medicine? Merck may be able to help. Visit merckhelps.com.

Before you take JANUVIA, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. JANUVIA can cause serious side effects, including pancreatitis,

Before you take JANUVIA, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. JANUVIA can cause serious side effects, including pancreatitis, which may be severe and lead to death. Before you start taking JANUVIA, tell your doctor if you’ve ever had pancreatitis. Stop taking JANUVIA and call your doctor right away if you have pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that is severe and will not go away. The pain may be felt going from your abdomen through to your back. The pain may happen with or without vomiting. These may be symptoms of pancreatitis.