Glimepiride
Description
Glimepiride is a long-acting, oral anti-diabetic medicine that is used to lower your blood sugar level. It is used to manage Type II Diabetes (a condition that affects the way your body processes blood sugar) in adults. It may also be used along with Insulin or other medicines to achieve better control over your blood sugar levels. Glimepiride works by increasing the insulin levels in your blood which lowers down blood sugar levels.
Glimepiride shows some common side effects like weight gain, low blood sugar levels, nausea, headache, and dizziness. Consult with your doctor immediately if you experience sweating, dizziness, headache, and shaking, as they could indicate low blood sugar levels. Carry a candy or a fast-acting source of glucose to prevent this. It is important to not miss any meal as it could also lead to hypoglycemia.
Glimepiride should be taken with food as prescribed by your doctor. Continue taking this medicine even if you feel better after some doses. Do not stop taking this medicine without consulting with your doctor as your blood glucose level could rise which could worsen your condition. Your lifestyle plays an important role in diabetes management. Exercise regularly and have a healthy diet to control your blood sugar. Do not take more than the prescribed amount of this medicine as it could lead to toxicity.
Glimepiride is not used in people who have type 1 diabetes (a condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin), or have severe liver or kidney problems. If you have a known allergy to this medicine, then ask for a substitute medicine. Use a sunscreen or wear full-sleeved clothes as Glimepiride can make your skin sensitive to sunlight. Glimepiride is not recommended in pregnancy and in breastfeeding mothers unless prescribed by your doctor. Inform your doctor about all the medicines you take as this medicine can interact with them and cause serious side effects. If you have any pre-existing liver, kidney, or heart problems, then tell your doctor about them. Your doctor can adjust your dose to use this medicine safely.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Glimepiride
- Low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia)
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Nausea
- Flu like symptoms
- Allergic skin reaction
- Anaemia
- Jaundice
- Weight gain
Uses of Glimepiride
What is it prescribed for?
- Type II Diabetes Mellitus
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe effect of Glimepiride can be observed within an hour of oral administration. However, it takes 2-3 hours for the medicine to reach its peak effect.
- Duration of effectThe effect of Glimepiride lasts for an average of 48 hours.
- Safe with alcohol?Consumption of alcohol in large quantities is not recommended when you are taking Glimepiride for controlling blood sugar levels. It is recommended to reduce alcohol intake as it can increase your blood sugar levels. Symptoms of both reduced or elevated blood sugar levels should be reported to the doctor immediately.
- Is it habit forming?No habit forming tendencies were reported for Glimepiride.
- Usage in pregnancy?Glimepiride is generally not recommended for use in pregnant women as not enough studies are available supporting its safety in this population. This medicine is prescribed by your doctor only when the potential benefits outweigh the risks. Do not take or stop this medicine without consulting with a doctor.
- Usage while breast-feeding?Glimepiride is not recommended in breastfeeding women as it is not known if this medicine passes into breast milk or not. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with your doctor before using this medicine. If this medicine is used, your doctor will closely monitor your baby for any undesired side effects.
Allergy
Avoid taking Glimepiride if you are allergic to it. Taking this medicine in such cases could lead to severe allergic reactions like shortness of breath, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of your body, rash, itching or hives on your skin etc. Inform your doctor about your allergy and ask for another suitable medicine.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Glimepiride is generally not recommended for use in pregnant women as not enough studies are available supporting its safety in this population. This medicine is prescribed by your doctor only when the potential benefits outweigh the risks. Do not take or stop this medicine without consulting with a doctor.
Breast-feeding
Glimepiride is not recommended in breastfeeding women as it is not known if this medicine passes into breast milk or not. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with your doctor before using this medicine. If this medicine is used, your doctor will closely monitor your baby for any undesired side effects.
General warnings
Hypoglycemia
Glimepiride can cause moderate to severe lowering of blood glucose levels. The risks are even greater in the elderly, malnourished, and people with kidney and hormonal disorders. You should report any such incident to your doctor. Carry a reliable source of glucose like sugar candy to counteract the effect of low blood sugar levels.
Stress
Use of Glimepiride should be discontinued if you are exposed to stressful conditions such as a fever, trauma, surgeries, or accidents since it may not be effective in controlling blood sugar levels in these conditions. Replacement with a suitable alternative should be considered under your doctor's supervision.
Fluid Retention
Glimepiride can cause low sodium levels in your blood. This can lead to retention of fluid in some cases that may lead to severe and harmful effects on the body. This risk is higher in elderly people, people taking diuretics (medicines that increase urine production), or those who are volume-depleted (a condition that causes a decrease in fluid volume due to excess loss of sodium and water from the body). Ask for dose adjustments or another suitable medicine if required.
Weight gain
Glimepiride may cause a mild to moderate weight gain in some people. Exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet to manage your weight.
Alcohol use
Consumption of alcohol is not recommended while on treatment with Glimepiride as it can increase your blood sugar levels.
Photo-sensitivity
Glimepiride may cause allergic skin reactions when exposed to the sun. Take precautionary skin protection measures while going out into the sun if you are taking this medicine.
Change of drugs
You may experience some temporary side effects if there is a change in your current medication. This overlapping effect is because of the change from one medicine to another. Regular monitoring of blood sugar levels might be required in these cases.
Missed Dose
The missed dose of Glimepiride can be taken as soon as you remember. If it is time for the next dosage then the missed dose can be skipped. Do not double your dose to make up for the missed one.
Overdose
If you have consumed more than the prescribed amount of Glimepiride then you may experience complications like dizziness, confusion, increased heartbeat, tremor, and sweating, etc. Consult a doctor immediately for further guidance.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
N/A
Instructions
Consumption of alcohol in large quantities is not recommended when you are taking Glimepiride for controlling blood sugar levels. It is recommended to reduce alcohol intake as it can increase your blood sugar levels. Symptoms of both reduced or elevated blood sugar levels should be reported to the doctor immediately.
Interaction with Medicine
Diclofenac
Fluconazole
Gatifloxacin
Miconazole
Rifampicin
Colesevelam
Disease interactions
Heart disease
Glimepiride should be taken with extreme caution if you are having any cardiovascular diseases (conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels) due to the increased risk of developing heart failure. Your doctor may either adjust your dose or closely monitor your heart functions to use this medicine safely.
Kidney disease
Glimepiride should be used with caution if you have any medical condition affecting your kidneys as a damaged kidney will not eliminate the medicine completely. This increases the level of unused medicine in your body leading to undesirable, serious side effects. You may require dose adjustments or another suitable medicine in such cases.
Liver disease
Glimepiride should be used with caution if you have liver problems as a damaged liver will not properly break down and absorb this medicine. This results in an increased level of the medicine in your body which could lead to toxicity. Your doctor can either suggest another medicine or adjust the dose to use this medicine safely.
Haemolytic Anaemia/G6PD Deficiency
Glimepiride is not recommended for use if you have a history of Haemolytic anaemia (a disorder in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than they can be made) or if you have G6PD deficiency (a genetic condition causing red blood cells to break down) as this medicine can cause low red blood cell count which will worsen your condition. Ask your doctor for dose adjustments or another suitable medicine if required.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Elevated ALT
You should consult the doctor about the use of Glimepiride if a liver function test is to be performed. Use of this medicine may produce a false result.
Glimepiride should be taken with food as prescribed by your doctor. Do not stop taking this medicine even if you feel better after some doses.
Avoid taking alcohol while taking this medicine as it can increase your blood sugar levels. This medicine can make your skin sensitive to the sun. So use sunscreen or wear full sleeves clothes to avoid any skin irritations.
This medicine can cause a drop in your blood sugar level which can make you feel dizzy. Always carry a source of glucose like candy, that can increase your blood sugar level instantly in such cases. It is very important to have a healthy lifestyle while taking this medicine. Avoid taking stress, exercise daily and eat healthy to manage your diabetes.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Glimepiride works by increasing the secretion of insulin from the pancreas and also regulates the release of glucose from the liver.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Sulfonylureas
Schedule
Schedule H
Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. DailyMed - GLIMEPIRIDE- glimepiride tablet. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 10 August 2021].
Accessdata.fda.gov. 2021. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 10 August 2021].
Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. Glimepiride. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 10 August 2021].
Medicines.org.uk. 2021. Glimepiride 1 mg Tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc). [online] Available at: < [Accessed 10 August 2021].
Information on this page was last updated on 25 Oct 2021
Disclaimer
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