Glipizide

💊 What is Glipizide used for?

• •The label says glipizide is used as an add-on to diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

How it works

The label describes glipizide as an oral blood-glucose-lowering drug of the sulfonylurea class. The sections provided do not explain its mechanism in more detail.

How it is usually taken

• •The label says glipizide is usually taken by mouth about 30 minutes before a meal, because this gives the greatest reduction in blood sugar after eating. The label says there is no fixed dosage plan for diabetes medicines like this one. The amount is adjusted based on blood sugar results, and blood sugar is checked regularly. Follow the instructions from your prescriber or pharmacist.

Comes as

• •Tablets in 5 mg strength
• •Tablets in 10 mg strength

⚠️ Glipizide side effects

🛑 Who should not take Glipizide, and who should be careful

The label says not to take it if

• 🚨You have a known allergy or hypersensitivity to glipizide.
• 🚨You have type 1 diabetes, or diabetic ketoacidosis with or without coma. The label says this condition should be treated with insulin.

Tell your doctor before taking it if

• •The label includes a special warning about increased cardiovascular death. It is not a boxed warning. In a study of a different sulfonylurea (tolbutamide), patients had about 2½ times the rate of cardiovascular death compared with diet alone. The label says this warning may also apply to other drugs in this class.
• •Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can occur. The label says it is more likely with too few calories, after severe or prolonged exercise, with alcohol, or when more than one blood sugar medicine is used.
• •Older adults, people who are debilitated or malnourished, and people with adrenal or pituitary problems may be more sensitive to low blood sugar. The label says low blood sugar may be hard to recognize in older people and in people taking beta-blockers.
• •The label says kidney or liver problems can slow how glipizide is cleared, and low blood sugar may then last longer.
• •Illness, fever, infection, injury, or surgery can cause blood sugar to become harder to control. The label says your prescriber may need to change the medicine or switch to insulin at those times.
• •The label says that over time glipizide can stop working as well for some patients. This is called secondary failure.
• •People with G6PD deficiency should be cautious. The label says sulfonylureas can cause hemolytic anemia in this group.
• •The label says patients should be informed about dietary instructions, regular exercise, and regular testing of blood or urine glucose.

🔀 Glipizide with other medicines, food and alcohol

The label says to discuss these with your doctor or pharmacist

• •Some medicines may increase the blood-sugar-lowering effect and raise the risk of low blood sugar. The label lists nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, some azole antifungals (including oral miconazole and fluconazole), salicylates, sulfonamides, chloramphenicol, probenecid, coumarins, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, quinolones, and beta-blockers.
• •Some medicines may raise blood sugar and cause loss of control. The label lists thiazide and other diuretics, corticosteroids, phenothiazines, thyroid products, estrogens, oral contraceptives, phenytoin, nicotinic acid, sympathomimetics, calcium channel blockers, and isoniazid.
• •The label says colesevelam can lower the amount of glipizide in the blood when taken at the same time. The label says there was no significant change when glipizide was taken 4 hours before colesevelam.
• •Your prescriber or pharmacist should be told about all medicines you take, including those not listed here.

Alcohol and food

The label says low blood sugar is more likely when alcohol is consumed and when calorie intake is too low. The label says glipizide is usually taken about 30 minutes before a meal. The label says the chance of a disulfiram-like reaction with alcohol is extremely low.

🤰 Glipizide in pregnancy and breastfeeding

Pregnancy

The label says studies in rats showed mild harm to offspring at all doses tested, and no adequate studies exist in pregnant women. The label says glipizide should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk. The label notes that many experts recommend insulin during pregnancy. It also says prolonged severe low blood sugar has been reported in newborns whose mothers took a sulfonylurea at delivery. The label says glipizide should be stopped at least one month before the expected delivery date if it is used during pregnancy.

Breastfeeding

The label says it is not known whether glipizide passes into human milk, but some sulfonylureas do. Because low blood sugar may occur in nursing infants, the label says a decision should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the drug, considering how important the drug is to the mother. If the drug is stopped and diet alone is not enough, the label says insulin therapy should be considered.

🗓️ Storage, missed doses and taking too much

Storage

The label says to store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F), in a tight, light-resistant container with a child-resistant closure. Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.

If a dose is missed

The label does not say.

If too much is taken

The label says there is little documented experience with glipizide overdose. Overdose can cause low blood sugar. The label says mild low blood sugar without loss of consciousness or nervous system problems is treated with oral glucose, with close monitoring. The label says severe low blood sugar with coma, seizure, or other neurological impairment is a medical emergency that requires immediate hospitalization.

🗒️ Questions to ask about Glipizide

• How often should I check my blood sugar while taking glipizide?
• What should I do if I think my blood sugar is too low?
• Should I take glipizide before a meal, and what if I skip a meal?
• Could any of my other medicines change how glipizide works?
• Does my kidney or liver health affect my risk of low blood sugar with this medicine?
• What should I do if I become sick, have surgery, or have an injury while taking glipizide?
• Is glipizide right for me if I am pregnant or planning to breastfeed?

❓ Glipizide: frequently asked questions