Why it's used?

Glimepiride is used to reduce high blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Glyxer MP1 Tablet is used in combination with a healthy diet and exercise.

This medication may be used with insulin or other types of diabetes drugs to help control your high blood sugar.

How it works?

Glimepiride belongs to a class of drugs called sulfonylureas. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions.

Glimepiride helps your pancreas to release insulin. Insulin is a chemical that your body makes to move sugar (glucose) from your bloodstream into your cells. Once the sugar enters your cells, they can use it as fuel for your body.

With type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin, or it can't properly use the insulin that it makes, so the sugar stays in your bloodstream. This causes high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia).

Glimepiride side effects

Glimepiride oral tablet doesn’t cause drowsiness, but it can cause other side effects.

More common side effects

The more common side effects that can occur with glimepiride.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Symptoms may include:

• o trembling or shaking
• o nervousness or anxiety
• o irritability
• o sweating
• o lightheadedness or dizziness
• o headache
• o fast heart rate or palpitations
• o intense hunger
• o fatigue or tiredness

If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Serious side effects

Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:

Severe low blood sugar (less than 35 to 40 mg/dL). Symptoms may include :

• o mood changes, such as irritability, impatience, anger, stubbornness, or sadness
• o confusion, including delirium
• o lightheadedness or dizziness
• o sleepiness
• o blurred or impaired vision
• o tingling or numbness in your lips or tongue
• o headaches
• o weakness or fatigue
• o lack of coordination
• o nightmares or crying out in your sleep
• o seizures
• o unconsciousness

Hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions. This drug can cause several types of allergic reactions, including :

• o Anaphylaxis. This is a severe and possibly a life-threatening allergic reaction. Symptoms may include trouble breathing, swelling of your throat or tongue, hives, or difficulty swallowing.
• o Angioedema. This involves swelling of your skin, the layers under your skin, and your mucous membranes (inside your mouth).
• o Stevens-Johnsons syndrome. This is a rare and serious disorder of your skin and mucous membranes (mouth and nose). It starts with flu-like symptoms and is followed by a painful red rash and blisters.

Liver damage. Symptoms may include :

• o yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
• o stomach pain and swelling
• o swelling in your legs and ankles (edema)
• o itchy skin
• o dark-colored urine
• o pale stool or tar-colored stool
• o constant sleepiness
• o nausea
• o vomiting
• o bruising easily

Low blood cell or platelet counts. Symptoms may include infections and bruising or bleeding that doesn’t stop as quickly as normal.

Low sodium levels (hyponatremia) and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). In SIADH, your body is unable to get rid of excess water by urinating. This leads to lower sodium levels in your blood (hyponatremia), which is dangerous. Symptoms may include :

• o nausea and vomiting
• o headache
• o confusion
• o loss of energy and fatigue
• o restlessness and irritability
• o muscle weakness, spasms, or cramps
• o seizures
• o coma

Glimepiride may interact with other medications

Glimepiride oral tablet can interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well.

To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, or herbs you’re taking. To find out how this drug might interact with something else you’re taking, talk to your doctor.

Dosage for type 2 diabetes

Adult dosage (ages 18 to 64 years)

• • The recommended starting dose is 1 mg or 2 mg taken once per day with breakfast or the first main meal of the day.
• • After reaching a dose of 2 mg per day, your doctor may increase your dose by 1 mg or 2 mg based on your blood sugar levels. They may increase your dose every 1 to 2 weeks until your blood sugar levels are controlled.
• • The maximum recommended dose is 8 mg taken once per day.

Child dosage (ages 0 to 17 years)

• Glimepiride isn’t recommended for people under 18 years old because it may affect body weight and cause low blood sugar.

Senior dosage (ages 65 years and older)

• • The starting dose is 1 mg taken once per day with breakfast or the first main meal of the day.
• • Your doctor may adjust your dose based on your blood sugar levels. Since seniors may be more sensitive to glimepiride and are more likely to have decreased kidney function, your doctor may increase your dose more slowly.
• • The maximum recommended dose is 8 mg taken once per day

Contraindications

For Glimepiride: • in patients hypersensitive to glimepiride, other sulfonylureas, other sulfonamides, • in pregnant women. • in breast-feeding women. No experience has been gained concerning the use of glimepiride in patients with severe impairment of liver function and in dialysis patients. In patients with severe impairment of hepatic function, change-over to insulin is indicated, not least to achieve optimal metabolic control.

For Metformin: • Hypersensitivity to metformin or any of the excipients. • Any type of acute metabolic acidosis (such as lactic acidosis,diabetic ketoacidosis, diabetic pre-coma). • Severe renal failure (GFR˂30ml/min) • Acute conditions with the potential to alter renal function such as: - Dehydration - severe infection - shock - Intravascular administration of iodinated contrast agents (see Precautions) • Acute or chronic disease which may cause tissue hypoxia such as: -cardiac or respiratory failure - recent myocardial infarction - shock • Hepatic insufficiency. • Acute alcohol intoxication, alcoholism. • Lactation.