Byetta

Generic name:exenatide [ ex-EN-a-tide ]
Drug class:Incretin mimetics

Medically reviewed by Philip Thornton, DipPharm. Last updated on May 18, 2022.

What is Byetta?

Byetta is an injectable diabetes medicine that helps control blood sugar levels. This medication helps your pancreas produce insulin more efficiently. Byetta is a short-acting form of exenatide.

Byetta is used together with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Byetta is not for treating type 1 diabetes.

This medication guide provides information about the Byetta, an immediate-release brand of exenatide. Bydureon is an extended-release brand of exenatide that is not covered in this medication guide.

Warnings

You should not use Byetta if you have severe kidney disease (or you are on dialysis), or if you have slowed digestion or diabetic ketoacidosis.

You should not use this medicine if Byetta has ever caused you to have low platelet levels in your blood.

Stop using this medicine and call your doctor at once if you have nausea and vomiting with severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back.

You should not use Byetta together with fast-acting or short-acting insulins. Do not use this medicine together with Bydureon.

Before taking this medicine

You should not use Byetta if you are allergic to exenatide, or if you have:

• severe kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis);

• a severe stomach disorder that causes slow digestion;

• a history of low levels of platelets (blood cells that help your blood to clot) while using exenatide; or

• diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment with insulin).

To make sure Byetta is sa...