Saxagliptin is a medicine used to treat type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body does not make enough insulin, or the insulin that it makes does not work properly. This can cause high blood sugar levels (hyperglycaemia).
Saxagliptin is usually prescribed when a healthy diet and exercise alone have not been enough to control your blood sugar levels.
It works by increasing the amount of insulin that your body makes. Insulin is the hormone that controls sugar levels in your blood.
Saxagliptin is only available on prescription.
It comes as tablets. It also comes as tablets containing a mixture of saxagliptin and another medicine called metformin or saxagliptin mixed with dapagliflozin. When combined with metformin it's known by the brand name Komboglyze, and Qtern when mixed with dapagliflozin.
Key facts
- Saxagliptin starts to work within a few hours. You need to take it every day to make sure your blood sugar stays as stable as possible.
- You take saxagliptin once a day.
- The most common side effects of saxagliptin are diarrhoea or stomach ache.
- Saxagliptin does not usually make you put on weight or lose weight.
- If you have diabetes, you're entitled to free prescriptions for all of your medicines, not just your diabetes ones.