Glucagon (Systemic)

Brand Names : Glucagon Diagnostic Kit, Glucagon Emergency Kit, Glucagon Emergency Kit for Low Blood Sugar

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For glucagon, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to glucagon or to beef or pork products, including insulin. Also, tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Glucagon has not been studied in pregnant women. However, glucagon has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether glucagon passes into breast milk. However, this medicine has not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children - This medicine has been tested in children and, in effective doses, has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of glucagon in the elderly with use in other age groups, it is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the doses or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of glucagon. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Diabetes mellitus - When glucagon is used for test or x-ray procedures in patients with diabetes that is well-controlled, a rise in blood sugar may occur; otherwise, glucagon is an important part of the management of diabetes because it is used to treat hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)

• Insulinoma (tumors of the pancreas gland that make too much insulin) (or history of) - Blood sugar concentrations may decrease

• Pheochromocytoma - Glucagon can cause high blood pressure