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What is Glimepiride
GlimepirideThe Generic name of this drug
Treatment SummaryGlimepiride is a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes. It belongs to a class of drugs called sulfonylureas, which help lower blood sugar levels by stimulating the release of insulin from the pancreas. Glimepiride has a longer duration of action than other similar drugs and is associated with a lower risk of developing hypoglycemia and weight gain. It is effective in reducing fasting plasma glucose, postprandial glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin levels. Glimepiride was approved by the FDA in 1995 and is typically taken once daily in pill form. It is sold under the brand
Amarylis the brand name
Glimepiride Overview & Background
Brand Name
Generic Name
First FDA Approval
How many FDA approvals?
Amaryl
Glimepiride
2000
269
Approved as Treatment by the FDA
Glimepiride, otherwise known as Amaryl, is approved by the FDA for 7 uses which include Sulfonylurea Compounds and Physical Activity .Sulfonylurea Compounds
Used to treat prior thiazolidinedione and sulfonylurea treatment in combination with Pioglitazone
Physical Activity
Used to treat Exercise in combination with Pioglitazone
Type 2 Diabetes
Used to treat Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in combination with Pioglitazone
Diet
Used to treat Diet in combination with Pioglitazone
inadequate response to monotherapy
Used to treat inadequate response to monotherapy in combination with Pioglitazone
Inadequate Glucose Control
Used to treat Inadequate Glucose Control in combination with Metformin
Inadequate Glycaemic Control
Used in combination with Insulin glargine to help manage Inadequate Glycaemic Control
Effectiveness
How Glimepiride Affects PatientsGlimepiride helps the body respond better to insulin and use glucose from the blood. In studies, patients taking glimepiride had a lower fasting plasma glucose, post-prandial glucose, and HbA1c than those taking a placebo. The 4- and 8-mg doses of glimepiride had the most significant effects, but the 4-mg dose was the most effective.
How Glimepiride works in the bodyGlimepiride works by blocking potassium channels in the pancreas that control insulin secretion. These channels open when the cell has a low ratio of ATP to ADP, which causes the cell to release potassium and become more negative. This inhibits insulin secretion. When the cell has a high ratio of ATP to ADP, the channels close and the cell becomes more positive. This leads to the opening of calcium channels, allowing calcium to enter the cell and cause the contraction of the filaments that trigger the release of insulin from stored vesicles. Glimepiride binds to both sulfonylurea receptor-1 and sulfony
When to interrupt dosage
The prescribed dose of Glimepiride is based on the diagnosed malady, including Type 2 Diabetes, Sulfonylurea Compounds and Diet. The dosage also varies as per the method of distribution (e.g. Tablet or Oral) laid out in the table beneath.Condition
Dosage
Administration
Inadequate Glucose Control
, 1.0 mg, 4.0 mg, 2.0 mg, 3.0 mg, 6.0 mg, 8.0 mg
, Oral, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Tablet, Tablet - Oral
Physical Activity
, 1.0 mg, 4.0 mg, 2.0 mg, 3.0 mg, 6.0 mg, 8.0 mg
, Oral, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Tablet, Tablet - Oral
Inadequate Glycaemic Control
, 1.0 mg, 4.0 mg, 2.0 mg, 3.0 mg, 6.0 mg, 8.0 mg
, Oral, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Tablet, Tablet - Oral
Sulfonylurea Compounds
, 1.0 mg, 4.0 mg, 2.0 mg, 3.0 mg, 6.0 mg, 8.0 mg
, Oral, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Tablet, Tablet - Oral
Type 2 Diabetes
, 1.0 mg, 4.0 mg, 2.0 mg, 3.0 mg, 6.0 mg, 8.0 mg
, Oral, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Tablet, Tablet - Oral
inadequate response to monotherapy
, 1.0 mg, 4.0 mg, 2.0 mg, 3.0 mg, 6.0 mg, 8.0 mg
, Oral, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Tablet, Tablet - Oral
Diet
, 1.0 mg, 4.0 mg, 2.0 mg, 3.0 mg, 6.0 mg, 8.0 mg
, Oral, Tablet, film coated, Tablet, film coated - Oral, Tablet, Tablet - Oral
Warnings
Glimepiride ContraindicationsCondition
Risk Level
Notes
Type 1 Diabetes
Do Not Combine
allergic reaction to sulfonamide derivatives
Do Not Combine
Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Do Not Combine
Common Glimepiride Drug Interactions
Drug Name
Risk Level
Description
(R)-warfarin
Minor
Glimepiride may increase the anticoagulant activities of (R)-warfarin.
(S)-Warfarin
Minor
Glimepiride may increase the anticoagulant activities of (S)-Warfarin.
Abrocitinib
Minor
The metabolism of Abrocitinib can be decreased when combined with Glimepiride.
Alosetron
Minor
The metabolism of Alosetron can be decreased when combined with Glimepiride.
Amprenavir
Minor
The metabolism of Amprenavir can be decreased when combined with Glimepiride.
Glimepiride Toxicity & Overdose RiskThe most toxic dose of glimepiride in rats is greater than 10000mg/kg. In an experiment with rats, doses of up to 5000 parts per million (ppm) did not cause cancer. However, when given to mice in high doses for 24 months, benign tumors in the pancreas were observed. Glimepiride did not cause any mutations in laboratory tests. In male and female rat studies, glimepiride had no impact on fertility. If someone takes too much glimepiride, they may experience severe low blood sugar with coma, seizures, or other neurological issues. This can be treated with gluc
Glimepiride Novel Uses: Which Conditions Have a Clinical Trial Featuring Glimepiride?
196 active trials are currently being conducted to assess the potential of Glimepiride in alleviating Type 2 Diabetes, Sulfonylurea Compounds and improving Physical Activity.Condition
Clinical Trials
Trial Phases
Physical Activity
38 Actively Recruiting
Not Applicable, Phase 2, Phase 1, Early Phase 1
Type 2 Diabetes
192 Actively Recruiting
Phase 2, Not Applicable, Early Phase 1, Phase 1, Phase 4, Phase 3
inadequate response to monotherapy
0 Actively Recruiting
Inadequate Glucose Control
0 Actively Recruiting
Inadequate Glycaemic Control
0 Actively Recruiting
Diet
5 Actively Recruiting
Not Applicable
Sulfonylurea Compounds
0 Actively Recruiting
Glimepiride Reviews: What are patients saying about Glimepiride?
5Patient Review
9/15/2015 Janumet was giving me cancer risks, so my doctor switched me to this medication. It's been great so far, though I have to be careful of low blood sugar if I work harder than normal. I've dropped down to 1 mg a day now. The only downside is that metformin tears up my stomach pretty badly.
5Patient Review
9/8/2015 I had a lot of trouble with Metformin and Onglyza, but adding glimepiride has really helped. My A1C levels have dropped from 7 to 5.0. Just be careful not to skip meals, as it can cause your blood sugar to drop too low.
5Patient Review
4/5/2016 I'm an 65 year old male who had been taking 1000 mg of metformin for about 5 years. I started to get itching and hives, so my doctor prescribed glimepiride 2 mg. It has helped control my blood sugar level, but I feel tired all day now. Maybe I should talk to my doctor about adjusting the dosage.
5Patient Review
8/24/2018 I've been really happy with this treatment, except for a few episodes of hypoglycemia that I experienced. These were resolved by taking glucose.
5Patient Review
2/16/2017 Glimepiride 2mg was incredibly effective in getting my A1C down from a range of 150-180 to 100-120. I haven't experienced any serious side effects, just fatigue throughout the day.
5Patient Review
12/27/2016 So far, Glimipirida has been the best drug I've taken for my condition. I take one milligram after breakfast and another one after dinner. This keeps my levels below 140 after a meal, and in the morning I wake up with 80.
4.7Patient Review
8/12/2015 I started taking this medication at 2mg, but it actually caused my numbers to go up. By the time I reached 8mg, I was feeling really weak and tired, as well as experiencing chest pressure and other issues. I stopped taking the medicine after 30 days and saw some improvement, but then went back down to 2mg and still felt no relief. So today I stopped taking it altogether.
4.3Patient Review
12/4/2017 I've been a Type 2 Diabetic for about 10 years now, and was managing my blood glucose (BG) levels with Metformin and diet. However, this year my numbers shot up into the 200s, so my doctor put me on Glimepiride. So far it's been effective in bringing my numbers back down into the 120s range. I'm hoping that my next A1C will reflect these lower levels.
4Patient Review
3/16/2016 This has been really great - my A1C was 8.4 and in six months, it's dropped to 7.1 without any negative side effects that I've noticed.
3.7Patient Review
4/13/2020 This treatment helped me regulate my blood sugar levels perfectly, but after a few months of taking it I developed severe diarrhea. It was so bad that I could hardly finish a meal before needing to use the bathroom.
3.3Patient Review
7/29/2016 I took this medication for eleven months in order to lower my A1c levels. However, I constantly experienced gastric reactions and became dangerously constipated. My liver counts also rose to a dangerous level; if I had not participate in my company's health fair, I would never have known. So, if you're feeling tired all the time, make sure to ask your doctor to check your liver function.
2.3Patient Review
11/1/2015 Glimepiride was working well for me, but my new doctor switched me to Metformin. Unfortunately, while my A1C dropped with Glimepiride, it rose significantly with Metformin. I also experienced terrible dizzy spells and nausea. So I'm back on Glimepiride now!
2.3Patient Review
7/10/20152.3Patient Review
1/17/2020 I started seeing an increase in my weight.
2Patient Review
8/6/2015 I was switched to a 4mg dose two days ago and have since seen my blood sugar levels rise significantly. I'm not sure why this is the case, as I've been eating relatively healthily.
2Patient Review
3/6/2019 This product was really terrible for me. My sugar levels were constantly spiking and I felt awful while taking it. Nauseous, dizzy, sleepy, lightheaded, and unable to focus. Once I stopped taking it everything went back to normal.
1Patient Review
12/4/2016 I'm extremely disappointed in this medication. It hasn't helped me even a little, and we've already increased the dosage. As someone with kidney disease, I have limited options for treatment, so this was really my last hope.
Patient Q&A Section about glimepiride
These questions and answers are submitted by anonymous patients, and have not been verified by our internal team.What glimepiride is used for?
"Glimepiride treats high blood sugar by increasing the amount of insulin produced by the pancreas. It is most effective when used in combination with another oral medicine, such as metformin."
Answered by AI
Is glimepiride the same as metformin?
"The medicine Amaryl is effective in lowering blood sugar, but it may cause weight gain as a side effect. Glucophage is the first choice medicine to control blood sugar and lower the risk of death from diabetes, although some people may not be able to tolerate the stomach side effects."
Answered by AI
What are the side effects of taking glimepiride?
"Some symptoms of low blood sugar levels are trembling or shaking, feeling nervous or anxious, being irritable, sweating, feeling lightheaded or dizzy, having a headache, or having a fast heart rate or palpitations. Other symptoms may include feeling nauseous, feeling weak, or gaining weight inexplicably."
Answered by AI
What is the best time of day to take glimepiride?
"You will typically take glimepiride once a day. You should take this medicine with food. Most people take it in the morning with their breakfast. If you do not eat breakfast, be sure to take it with your first meal of the day."
Answered by AI