Janumet

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Harshi Dhingra, M.D.

Last Reviewed: Jul 22, 2022

Pros & Cons


Janumet Pros and Cons

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  • Janumet combines two effective oral diabetes medications - sitagliptin and metformin - in one convenient pill.
  • Janumet XR only needs to be taken once daily.
  • Trials evaluated patients and found Janumet lowers HbA1c levels by 2.5% on average.
  • Janumet has a lower risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) compared to some other drugs.

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  • A lower-cost generic version of Janumet is not yet available, and the brand-name drug can be expensive. Also, Janumet may not be covered by all health insurance plans.
  • This medication must be taken with meals.
  • The risk of adverse effects with Janumet is higher in people over the age of 65 years.
  • The metformin in Janumet can lead to a serious condition called lactic acidosis.
  • Janumet contains two medications, sitagliptin and metformin, and can therefore have interactions with many drugs.