Final answer:
Pioglitazone is used to control blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, especially when other medications are not sufficient or pose risks like hypoglycemia. It is a part of personalized medicine, which considers individual differences, such as genetic makeup, for effective and safe treatment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The indication for pioglitazone is primarily the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. As part of the thiazolidinedione class of drugs, pioglitazone helps to improve insulin sensitivity in the body's tissues, making it more effective at lowering blood sugar levels. It is specifically used in patients for whom diet, exercise, and other medications do not adequately control their blood glucose levels.
Pioglitazone is often considered in patients with additional complications, such as cardiovascular disease, where other medications like sulfonylureas may pose a higher risk of inducing hypoglycemia, a significant side effect that Arya experienced with gliclazide. The practice of personalizing drug treatments to a patient's genetic makeup, called pharmacogenetics, can be crucial in such cases to ensure that the prescribed drugs are both safe and effective for individual patients.