← All medications

Pioglitazone

Medication thiazolidinedione diabetes
Aka: Actos
Brands seen in Singapore: Actos, Deculin
Not medical advice. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change the timing of anything you take.
How to use
What it’s for
Type 2 diabetes — HealthHub: helps bring blood sugar down
When to take
Once a day, at any time — SG label: with or without food
Take with
Food optional · alcohol can push blood sugar too low
Pros & cons
Pros
  • HealthHub: makes the body more responsive to insulin
  • Once daily, with or without food
  • SG label: works alongside metformin or a sulphonylurea
Cons
  • Leg swelling and weight gain are common
  • Heart failure — the SG label bars it in any stage
  • Bladder cancer history — the SG label bars it
Sources
  1. HSA — Listing of Registered Therapeutic Products (data.gov.sg d_767279312753558cbf19d48344577084), Forensicclassification column; cached at /tmp/hsa_all.json and filtered locally, not re-fetched · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “ACTOS TABLET 15 mg SIN12441P · ACTOS TABLET 30 mg SIN12442P · DECULIN TABLET 30MG SIN16882P | PIOGLITAZONE HYDROCHLORIDE EQV PIOGLITAZONE | Prescription Only | A10BG03 — the only 3 pioglitazone rows in the register”
  2. MOH National Drug Formulary (Singapore) — ACTOS TABLET 30 MG [SIN12442P], product information · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “ACTOS TABLET 30 MG [SIN12442P] … PIOGLITAZONE HYDROCHLORIDE EQV PIOGLITAZONE - 30 MG … Forensic Classification PRESCRIPTION ONLY MEDICINES … ATC code A10BG03 … Prescription-only Medicines with Exemptions for Supply without Prescription NA”
  3. MOH National Drug Formulary (Singapore) — ACTOS TABLET 30 MG [SIN12442P], Indications and Usage · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “actos® is indicated as oral monotherapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, particularly overweight patients, inadequately controlled by diet and exercise for whom metformin is inappropriate because of contraindications or intolerance.”
  4. MOH National Drug Formulary (Singapore) — ACTOS TABLET 30 MG [SIN12442P], Dosage in Adults · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “actos® may be initiated at 15 mg or 30mg once daily. The dose may be increased to up to a maximum dose of 45 mg once daily.”
  5. MOH National Drug Formulary (Singapore) — ACTOS TABLET 30 MG [SIN12442P], Dosage: absolute ceiling · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “The dose of actos® should not exceed 45 mg once daily in monotherapy or in combination with metformin or sulphonylurea.”
  6. MOH National Drug Formulary (Singapore) — ACTOS TABLET 30 MG [SIN12442P], Dosage: combination therapy · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “In combination with metformin, the current metformin dose can be continued upon initiation of pioglitazone therapy. If patients report hypoglycaemia, the dose of metformin should be decreased.”
  7. MOH National Drug Formulary (Singapore) — ACTOS TABLET 30 MG [SIN12442P], Contraindications · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “actos is contraindicated in patients with the following conditions … cardiac failure or history of cardiac failure (NYHA stages I to IV) … hepatic impairment … active or history of bladder cancer … uninvestigated macroscopic haematuria”
  8. MOH National Drug Formulary (Singapore) — ACTOS TABLET 30 MG [SIN12442P], Contraindications: insulin · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “actos is also contraindicated for use in combination with insulin.”
  9. HealthHub (MOH Singapore) — Pioglitazone, medication information leaflet, last reviewed 26 June 2023 · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “It is used to control diabetes and helps to bring your blood sugar levels down by making your body more sensitive and responsive to the effects of insulin.”
  10. HealthHub (MOH Singapore) — Pioglitazone, how to take it · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “This medication is taken once a day. You may take this medication before food or after food.”
  11. HealthHub (MOH Singapore) — Pioglitazone, common side effects · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “The common side effects of Pioglitazone include … Leg swelling … Headache … Inflammation of the sinus and infection of the airways … Sore throat … Weight gain”
  12. HealthHub (MOH Singapore) — Pioglitazone, precautions · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Have heart failure (a condition in which your heart is not pumping as well as it should be) … Have a build-up of fluid in your body … Have liver problems”
  13. HealthHub (MOH Singapore) — Pioglitazone, precautions: eye, bladder and bone history · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Have a special type of eye disease associated with diabetes, called macular edema … Have a history of bladder cancer … Have a history of fractures”
  14. HealthHub (MOH Singapore) — Pioglitazone, food and medication to avoid · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Avoid taking alcohol with this medication as this may increase your risk of having low blood sugar.”
Report a correction View as JSON

Updated 2026-08-29. Every line above traces to a numbered source. Kozen-X is not a medical device and does not give medical advice. It lists what published sources have written down — nothing more. A pair not listed is unrecorded, not cleared. Before you start, stop or re-time anything, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.