Types of medicine
What Is a Sulfonylurea? Diabetes Tablets Explained
Sulfonylurea · say it: sul-fuh-nil-yoo-REE-uhAlso written: sulphonylurea, sulfonylureas, SU
Short answer
A sulfonylurea is a type of type 2 diabetes medicine, such as gliclazide or glipizide, that makes the pancreas release more insulin.
What it means
Sulfonylureas are tablets for type 2 diabetes. They lower blood sugar by making the pancreas release more insulin. Examples include gliclazide, glipizide, glimepiride and glibenclamide (glyburide). Names often start with 'gli' or 'gly'.
Because they push insulin out regardless of what you have eaten, their labels warn about hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), especially if meals are missed or delayed, after extra activity, with alcohol, in older people, or in kidney or liver problems. Some labels also mention weight gain. The warning is telling you to know the signs of low blood sugar and what to do, and to take the tablet with or as advised around meals.
Sulfonylureas are different from metformin, another common diabetes tablet that does not usually cause low blood sugar on its own. Despite the similar name, they are not sulfonamide antibiotics, though a few people with sulfa allergies are asked about them.
Where you may see it
- Labels and leaflets for gliclazide, glipizide and glimepiride
- Diabetes clinic letters and medicine lists
- Pharmacy counselling notes on low blood sugar
📄 How it looks on a report
All sulfonylureas are capable of producing severe hypoglycemia. Proper patient selection, dosage and instructions are important.
🙅 What it does not mean
- It is not insulin, though it works by increasing your own insulin.
- A hypo warning does not mean it will happen often; it means you should be prepared.
- It is not the same as a sulfonamide (sulfa) antibiotic.
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Sulfonylurea”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Ciprofloxacin
a fluoroquinolone antibacterial medicine
- Dapagliflozin
a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, a type of diabetes medicine
- Empagliflozin
a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, a prescription medicine that works on sugar handling in the kidneys
- Glimepiride
a sulfonylurea, a type of oral medicine used to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes
- Glipizide
a blood-sugar-lowering medicine of the sulfonylurea type
- Liraglutide
a GLP-1 receptor agonist, a type of medicine that acts like a natural gut hormone called GLP-1 to help lower blood sugar
- Metformin
a diabetes medicine of the biguanide type
- Methotrexate
A dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor, a type of medicine that works against folate (a vitamin-like substance cells use to grow and divide). The FDA pharmacologic class is not listed on the label.
- Pioglitazone
a diabetes medicine of the thiazolidinedione type
- Semaglutide
A GLP-1 receptor agonist, a type of medicine that works like the natural GLP-1 hormone in the body
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Sulfonylurea” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
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