What is Glimepiride ?
Glimepiride used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus, is a drug. It is less widely used than metformin. It is recommended for use in combination with diet and exercise. It is swallowed by mouth. The full impact of Glimepiride takes up to three hours and lasts for about a day.
Glimepiride Uses
Glimepiride is used to regulate elevated blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes through a healthy diet and exercise program. Other drugs for diabetes can also be used with it. High blood sugar management helps in preventing the damage of kidney, eye blindness, nerve disorders, loss of limb, and issues with sexual function. Proper diabetes management can also decrease the risk of getting a stroke or heart attack. The class of drugs known as sulfonylureas contains glimepiride. By triggering the release of your body's own insulin, it reduces blood sugar.
How to use
- If available from your pharmacist, read the patient information leaflet before you start taking glimepiride, and each time you receive a refill. If you have any questions, please ask and consult a doctor.
- Take this drug by mouth with breakfast or the first main meal of the day, usually once a day, as instructed by your doctor. The dose is totally dependent on your medical conditions and your treatment reactions.
- To get the most value and benefits from it, use this drug according to prescription advice.
- Your doctor might direct you when to start this medication with a low dose and gradually increase your dose in order to reduce your risk of serious side effects.
- If you are still taking another medication for diabetes (such as chlorpropamide), follow the instructions carefully provided by your doctor to stop taking the old medicine and to start using glimepiride.
- Glimepiride absorption can be decreased by Colesevelam. If you are taking colesevelam, take at least 4 hours before taking colesevelam with glimepiride.
- If your condition does not change, or if it worsens, tell your doctor (your blood sugar is too high or too low).
Glimepiride Side Effects
- Dizziness
- Nausea
Some side effects can be serious
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes
- light-colored stools
- Dark urine
- Pain in the stomach
- Unusual bruising or bleeding
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Sore throat
- There could be nausea and sore stomachs. Inform your doctor immediately if any of these symptoms continue to get worst.
- Know that this drug has been prescribed by your doctor because he or she has decided that the value is greater than the risk of serious side effects. Many people taking this drug may not have such significant side effects.
- If you have some serious/severe side effects that include yellowing of the eyes/skin, stomach or abdominal pain, dark urine, irregular tiredness/weakness, quick bleeding/bruising, symptoms of infection (such as fever, constant sore throat), changes in mood/mentality, unusual/sudden weight gain, seizures, notify your doctor immediately.
- This medication can cause low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia). If you do not eat enough calories from food or if you do unusually intense exercise, this can occur. Low-blood sugar symptoms include rapid sweating, trembling, quick pulse, hunger, blurred vision, dizziness, or hand/feet tingling. Carrying glucose pills or gel to treat low blood sugar is a healthy practice. If you do not have these reliable sources of glucose, consume a fast source of sugar, such as table sugar, honey, or candy, or drink fruit juice or non-diet soda, to easily increase your blood sugar. Tell your doctor immediately about your reaction and how to use this product. Consume meals on a daily basis to help avoid low blood sugar.
- Thirst, increased urination, nausea, drowsiness, flushing, quick breathing, and fruity breath odor are signs of elevated blood sugar (hyperglycemia). Tell your doctor right away if these symptoms arise. There might be a need to increase the prescription dose.
- It is very unusual to experience a very severe/serious allergic reaction to this drug. However, if you experience any signs of these severe/serious allergic reactions, including rashes, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), extreme dizziness, difficulty breathing, get medical assistance immediately.
Precautions
- Tell your doctor or pharmacist whether you are allergic to glimepiride, or whether you have any other allergies, until taking it. There may be many or some inactive ingredients in this substance that may cause allergic reactions or other problems.
- Tell your doctor or pharmacist about your medical history before using this drug, especially: liver disease, kidney disease, thyroid disease, certain hormonal disorders (adrenal/pituitary insufficiency, antidiuretic hormone-SIADH inadequate secretion syndrome), electrolyte imbalance (hyponatremia).
- Because of extremely low or high blood sugar, you can experience blurred vision, dizziness, or drowsiness. Unless you are confident that you can conduct such activities safely, do not drive, use machinery, or do any operation that needs alertness or clear vision.
- When taking this drug, restrict alcohol because it can increase the risk of low blood sugar production.
- When the body is tired, it can be harder to regulate your blood sugar (such as due to fever, infection, injury, or surgery). As this can include a change in your treatment plan, medications, or blood sugar test, consult your doctor.
- You might become more responsive to the sunlight with this drug. In the sun, limit your time. Stop booths and sunlamps for tanning. When going outside, use sunscreen and wear protective/ full clothing that covers all your skin parts. If you get sunburned or get skin blisters, redness, go to your doctor straight away.
- Inform your doctor about all the medications you need before having surgery
- Older adults, especially those with low blood sugar, may be more vulnerable to the side effects of this medication.
- This drug should be used during pregnancy only when it is obviously needed. Pregnancy can cause diabetes or make it worse. Discuss a strategy for controlling your blood sugar during pregnancy with your doctor. During pregnancy, your doctor can substitute insulin for this medication. Due to the possibility of glimepiride causing low blood sugar in your infant, if glimepiride is used, it should be transferred to insulin at least 2 weeks before the planned delivery date. Discuss with your doctor the risks and advantages.
- Whether this drug passes into breast milk or not is unclear. Similar medications do, however, transfer into breast milk. It is not advisable to breast-feed when taking this drug. Before breastfeeding, consult the doctor.
Interactions
- Drug interactions might affect and change the way of the working of your drugs or higher the risk of serious side effects. Keep a list of all medicational drugs you are taking and share it with your doctor. Without your doctor's permission/advice, never start, stop, or adjust the dosage of any medication.
- Your blood sugar can be influenced by many medications, making it harder to regulate. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how the drug could affect your blood sugar before you start, stop, or alter any medication. As instructed, by your doctor check your blood sugar regularly and share the results with your doctor.
- Beta-blocker medicines can prevent the fast/rapid heartbeat that you normally feel when your blood sugar drops too low. These medications are unaffected by other signs of low blood sugar, such as dizziness, hunger, or sweating.
- Since they can contain ingredients that may affect your blood sugar, check the labels of all your medications (such as cough and cold products). Ask your pharmacist about safely using those products.
Important information
- Hold all your doctor and laboratory appointments together. To assess your answer to glimepiride, your fasting blood sugar levels and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) should be tested regularly. In order to confirm your reaction to glimepiride, your doctor can order other lab tests. By checking your blood sugar levels at home, your doctor will also inform you how to check your reaction to this drug. Carefully obey these directions.
- To make sure that you get proper care in an emergency, you can still wear a diabetic identification bracelet.
- Do not let the medicine be taken by someone else even if they have the same issues the same as you. If you have any questions/doubts about refilling your prescription, ask/consult your pharmacist.
- Any products such as vitamins, minerals, or any type of dietary supplements, it is very essential for you to keep a written list of all the prescriptional and nonprescriptional (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking. Any time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital, you must carry this list with you.
Note
- Do not share with anyone this drug.
- To learn more about how to treat your diabetes with drugs, diet, exercise, and routine medical examinations, join a diabetes education class.
- Learn about the effects of high and low blood sugar and how low blood sugar can be treated. Regularly check your blood sugar as instructed.
- Keep all medical and laboratory appointments set. In order to monitor the progress or to check for side effects, laboratory and/or medical tests (such as liver and kidney function tests, fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, full blood counts) should be conducted regularly.
Missed Dose
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you recall/remember it. If the time for the next dose is almost close, skip the skipped dose. At normal times, take your next dose. To cope up, do not double the dose of this drug.
Overdose
Call the emergency number if someone has overdosed and has extreme symptoms, such as passing out or difficulty breathing. Or else, immediately contact a poison control center.
Storage
Store it away from direct heat/light and moisture at room temperature. Do not keep your drugs in the washroom. Hold kids and pets away from all drugs. Unless told to do so, do not flush drugs down the toilet or dump them into a drainage system. When it gets expired or no longer needed to you, properly discard this product.
Glimepiride vs Metformin
Glimepiride |
Metformin |
|---|---|
| Traded under Amaryl tab | Metformin, marketed under the trade name Glucophage |
| Used to regulate the elevated blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes | First-line of medication which is used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes |
| Formula: C24H34N4O5S | Formula: C4H11N5 |
| Given orally | Given orally |
| Molar mass: 490.617 g/mol | Molar mass: 129.164 g/mol |
