Glucagon instructions for use

Indication and Usage
Glucagon is a prescription medicine used to treat very low blood sugar (severe hypoglycemia) in people with diabetes.

Do not use Glucagon if:

• you have a tumor in the gland on top of your kidneys (adrenal gland) called a pheochromocytoma.
• you have a tumor in your pancreas called an insulinoma.
• you are allergic to glucagon or lactose or any of the ingredients in Glucagon.

Before using Glucagon, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

• have kidney problems
• have pancreas problems.
• have not had food or water for a long time (prolonged fasting or starvation).
• have low blood sugar that does not go away (chronic hypoglycemia).
• have heart problems.
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Glucagon will harm your unborn baby.
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Glucagon passes into your breast milk.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. Glucagon may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how Glucagon works. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show your doctor and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

When using Glucagon, you should:

• Read the detailed Instructions for Use that come with Glucagon.
• Use Glucagon exactly as your doctor tells you to.
• Make sure that you and your family know how to use Glucagon the right way before you need it.
• Act quickly. Having very low blood sugar for a period of time may be harmful.
• Call for emergency medical help right after you use Glucagon.
• If the person does not respond after 15 minutes, another dose may be given, if available.
• Eat sugar or a sugar sweetened product such as a regular soft drink or fruit juice as soon as you are able to swallow.
• Tell your doctor each time you use Glucagon. Your doctor may need to change the dose of your diabetes medicines.

Glucagon may cause serious side effects, including:

• High blood pressure. Glucagon can cause high blood pressure in certain people with tumors in their adrenal glands.
• Low blood sugar. Glucagon can cause low blood sugar in patients with tumors in their pancreas called insulinomas and Glucagonomas by making too much insulin in their bodies.
• Serious allergic reactions. Call your doctor or get medical help right away if you have a serious allergic reaction including: rash, difficulty breathing, or low blood pressure.

The most common side effects of Glucagon include:

• swelling at the injection site
• redness at the injection site
• vomiting
• nausea
• decreased blood pressure
• weakness

• headache
• dizziness
• pale skin
• diarrhea
• sleepiness or drowsiness