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DEX4(PERRIGO)CARB: 15 grams per bottleDOSE: One bottleDETAILS: Resealable screw-top bottle. Comes in berry twist and grape flavors.STORE BRANDS: CVS, Kroger, Target, Walmart

RELION GLUCOSE SHOT(WALMART)CARB: 15 grams per bottleDOSE: One bottleDETAILS: Resealable screw-top bottle. Comes in mixed berry, orange, and pomegranate flavors.

TRUEPLUS GLUCOSE SHOT(TRIVIDIA HEALTH)CARB: 15 grams per bottleDOSE: One bottleDETAILS: Resealable screw-top bottle. Comes in mixed berry, orange, and pomegranate flavors. STORE BRANDS: Good Neighbor Pharmacy, HealthMart Pharmacy, Rite Aid, Shopko, Sunmark, Walgreens, Walmart

LIQUIDS

STORE-BRAND GLUCOSE CONTAINS THE SAME AMOUNTS

OF FAST-ACTING GLUCOSE AS NAME-

BRAND VERSIONS BUT MAY COST LESS.

FAST-ACTING GLUCOSE PRODUCTS

d i a b e te s f o r e c a s t .o r g M A RC H/A P RI L 2017

CONSUMER GUIDE 2017

GLUCOSE PRODUCTS

DEX4(PERRIGO)CARB: 4 grams per tabletDOSE: Four tablets for 16 grams of carbDETAILS: Available in a 10-tablet tube, 50-tablet bottle, and 100-tablet pouch. Flavors include assorted fruit, citrus punch, grape, natural orange, orange, raspberry, and tropical fruit.STORE BRANDS: CVS, Kroger

M A RC H/A P RI L 2017 D i a b e te s F o r e c a s t

DEX4(PERRIGO)CARB: 15 grams per pouchDOSE: Single pouchDETAILS: Single-dose disposable pouch, sold individually and in packs of six. Comes in fruit punch flavor.STORE BRANDS: CVS, Kroger, Target, Walmart

GLUTOSE 15(PERRIGO)CARB: 15 grams per tubeDOSE: One tubeDETAILS: Single-dose disposable tube, sold in packs of three. Available in grape and lemon flavors.STORE BRANDS: CVS, Kroger, Target, Walmart

GLUTOSE 45 (PERRIGO) CARB: 45 grams per tubeDOSE: ⅓ of tubeDETAILS: Three-dose disposable tube, sold as a single resealable tube. Available in lemon flavor.STORE BRANDS: CVS, Kroger, Target, Walmart

INSTA-GLUCOSE(VALEANT PHARMACEUTICALS)CARB: 24 grams per tubeDOSE: One tubeDETAILS: Comes in a three-pack of squeezable, non-resealable tubes. Available in cherry flavor. STORE BRAND: No

TRUEPLUS GLUCOSE GEL (TRIVIDIA HEALTH)CARB: 15 grams per pouchDOSE: One pouchDETAILS: Single-dose disposable pouch, sold individually and in packs of three and six. Comes in fruit punch flavor.STORE BRANDS: Good Neighbor Pharmacy, HealthMart Pharmacy, Rite Aid, Walgreens

RELION(WALMART)CARB: 15 grams per tubeDOSE: One tubeDETAILS: Twist-cap tube, sold individually. Comes in fruit punch flavor.

TRANSCEND(TRANSCEND FOODS)CARB: 15 grams per pouchDOSE: One pouchDETAILS: Comes in two three-packs, or packs of 12, 20, or 30 loose pouches. Available in orange and strawberry flavors.STORE BRAND: No

ELOVATE 15(DIASAN CORP.)CARB: 15 grams per packetDOSE: One packetDETAILS: Sold in boxes containing six individual packets of powder that can be eaten directly from the pouch or mixed with water. Comes in black cherry flavor.STORE BRAND: No

GLUCOLIFT(JUNGELL)CARB: 4 grams per tabletDOSE: Four tablets for 16 grams of carbDETAILS: Available in a 40-tablet bottle. Comes in cherry, orange cream, and wildberry flavors. Reusable travel tube (sold separately) holds 10 tablets.STORE BRAND: No

GELS

TABLETSPOWDERGELS

d i a b e te s f o r e c a s t .o r g M A RC H/A P RI L 2017

Cre

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Glucagon is used as

a rescue medication for people with severe

low blood glucose who can’t treat it by eating or drinking because they’re unable to swallow or they’re unconscious. (Never give food or drink to someone who’s unconscious.)

A prescription glucagon kit, such as those made by Eli Lilly and Co. and Novo Nordisk, contains a powdered form of glucagon—a hormone that raises blood glucose levels—as well as a syringe preloaded with sterile water or a diluting solution. If a person with diabetes is unable to self-treat with oral glucose, a friend, family member, or other caregiver who knows how to

use the kit mixes the two substances and immediately injects the solution under the skin. If you wait too long, the solution becomes ineffective.

According to the American Diabetes Association’s 2017 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes, those who are in regular contact with people who have hypoglycemia-prone diabetes (family members, roommates, child care providers, and coworkers, for instance) should learn how to use a glucagon kit. Some families practice mixing the solution—but not injecting it—using an expired kit.

Glucagon kits, available by prescription only, cost about $270. “They are typically covered by insurance. But if not, apply for a

discount card to lower the cash price,” suggests Sandra Leal, PharmD, MPH, CDE, FAPhA, vice president for innovation at SinfoniaRx, a company based in Tucson, Arizona, that provides medication therapy management. GoodRx.com offers coupons, details about manufacturers’ patient assistance programs, and a pharmacy discount card. Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk also offer such programs to help cover the cost of their glucagon kits. (Check company websites or rxassist.org to see if you qualify.) Be sure to check the expiration date before you purchase one—the remaining shelf life should be at least a year. Severe low blood glucose can happen at any time, so it’s important to plan ahead.

RELION(WALMART)CARB: 4 grams per tabletDOSE: Four tablets for 16 grams of carbDETAILS: Available in a 10-tablet tube and 50-tablet bottle. Comes in fruit punch, grape, orange, raspberry, and tropical assorted fruit flavors.

TRUEPLUS GLUCOSE TABLETS(TRIVIDIA HEALTH)CARB: 4 grams per tabletDOSE: Four tablets for 16 grams of carbDETAILS: Available in a 10-tablet tube and 50-tablet bottle. Comes in assorted fruit, fruit punch, grape, orange, raspberry, and tropical fruit flavors.STORE BRANDS: Good Neighbor Pharmacy, HealthMart Pharmacy, Meijer, Publix, Rite Aid, Shopko, Sunmark, Walgreens

TRUEPLUS SOFT TABS (TRIVIDIA HEALTH)CARB: 4 grams per tabletDOSE: Four tablets for 16 grams of carbDETAILS: Available in a four-tablet pouch, eight-tablet tube, and 36-tablet bottle. Comes in cherry pop, chocolate marshmallow, kiwi-strawberry, and root beer float flavors.STORE BRAND: CVS

TABLETS

OPTIMUM(MAGNO-HUMPHRIES LABS)CARB: 4 grams per tabletDOSE: Four tablets for 16 grams of carbDETAILS: Available in a 50-tablet bottle. Comes in orange and raspberry flavors.STORE BRAND: Bi-Mart

CONSUMER GUIDE 2017

GLUCOSE PRODUCTS

WHAT’S A GLUCAGON KIT?

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