Victoza can be administered once daily at any time of day, independently of meals, and can be injected subcutaneously in the abdomen, thigh or upper arm. The injection site and timing can be changed without dose adjustment.
For all patients, Victoza should be initiated with a dose of 0.6 mg per day for one week. The 0.6 mg dose is a starting dose intended to reduce gastrointestinal symptoms during initial titration, and is not effective for glycemic control. After one week at 0.6 mg per day, the dose should be increased to 1.2 mg. If the 1.2 mg dose does not result in acceptable glycemic control, the dose can be increased to 1.8 mg.
When initiating Victoza, consider reducing the dose of concomitantly administered insulin secretagogues (such as sulfonylureas) to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) and Adverse Reactions (6)].
When using Victoza with insulin, administer as separate injections. Never mix. It is acceptable to inject Victoza and insulin in the same body region but the injections should not be adjacent to each other.
Victoza solution should be inspected prior to each injection, and the solution should be used only if it is clear, colorless, and contains no particles.
If a dose is missed, the once-daily regimen should be resumed as prescribed with the next scheduled dose. An extra dose or increase in dose should not be taken to make-up for the missed dose.
Based on the elimination half-life, patients should be advised to reinitiate Victoza at 0.6 mg if more than 3 days have elapsed since the last Victoza dose. This approach will mitigate any gastrointestinal symptoms associated with reinitiation of treatment. Upon reinitiation, Victoza should be titrated at the discretion of the prescribing healthcare provider.
