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ALIMENTARY TRACT AND METABOLISM › DRUGS USED IN DIABETES › BLOOD GLUCOSE LOWERING DRUGS, EXCL. INSULINS › Sulfonylureas
glimepiride
A10BB12
Forms & Strengths
- Oral tablets: 1 mg, 2 mg, 3 mg, 4 mg
Adult Dosing
- Initial: 1 mg to 2 mg once daily with breakfast or the first main meal
- Titration: Increase by 1 mg to 2 mg increments based on blood glucose response at 1- to 2-week intervals
- Maintenance: Usually 1 mg to 4 mg once daily; maximum recommended dose is 8 mg daily
Pediatric Dosing
- Safety and efficacy not established in pediatric patients
Indications
- Adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Mechanism of Action
- Second-generation sulfonylurea that stimulates insulin release from pancreatic beta cells
- Reduces hepatic glucose output and increases peripheral sensitivity to insulin at peripheral target sites
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity to glimepiride, other sulfonylureas, or sulfonamide derivatives
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus
- Diabetic ketoacidosis, with or without coma
Adverse Reactions
- Hypoglycemia
- Dizziness, headache
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain
- Weight gain
- Rare: Cholestatic jaundice, agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia, hemolytic anemia
Drug Interactions
- Potentiation of hypoglycemic effect with insulin, other antidiabetic agents, ACE inhibitors, anabolic steroids, chloramphenicol, fluconazole, miconazole, NSAIDs, quinolones, salicylates, and sulfonamides
- Attenuation of hypoglycemic effect with thiazides and other diuretics, corticosteroids, phenothiazines, thyroid products, estrogens, oral contraceptives, phenytoin, nicotinic acid, sympathomimetics, and isoniazid
- Potential potentiation or attenuation of hypoglycemic effect with beta-blockers, clonidine, and reserpine
- Ethanol may cause unpredictable potentiation of hypoglycemia or disulfiram-like reactions
Curated Content: Needs Vetting Before Put to Clinical Use