Glipizide and metformin

Generic name: Glipizide And Metformin
Brand names: Metaglip
Dosage form: oral tablet (2.5 mg-250 mg; 2.5 mg-500 mg; 5 mg-500 mg)
Drug class: Antidiabetic combinations

Usage of Glipizide and metformin

Glipizide and metformin is a combination of two oral diabetes medicines that help control blood sugar levels.

Glipizide and metformin is used together with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. glipizide and metformin is not for treating type 1 diabetes.

Glipizide and metformin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Glipizide and metformin side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

This medicine may cause serious side effects. Stop using this medicine and call your doctor at once if you have:

heart problems-- swelling, rapid weight gain, feeling short of breath;

severe hypoglycemia--extreme weakness, blurred vision, sweating, trouble speaking, tremors, stomach pain, confusion, seizure; or

lactic acidosis--unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain, vomiting, irregular heart rate, dizziness, feeling cold, or feeling very weak or tired.

Common side effects of glipizide and metformin may include:

upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea;

headache; or

cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Glipizide and metformin

You should not use glipizide and metformin if you are allergic to glipizide or metformin, or if you have:

severe kidney disease; or

metabolic acidosis or diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment).

If you need to have any type of x-ray or CT scan using a dye that is injected into your veins, you may need to temporarily stop taking glipizide and metformin.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

kidney disease;

congestive heart failure, especially if you take digoxin (Lanoxin) or furosemide (Lasix);

a genetic enzyme deficiency called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency;

liver disease;

heart disease; or

if you are over 80 years old and have not recently had your kidney function checked.

You may develop lactic acidosis, a dangerous build-up of lactic acid in your blood. This may be more likely if you have other medical conditions, a severe infection, chronic alcoholism, or if you are 65 or older. Ask your doctor about your risk.

Follow your doctor's instructions about using this medicine if you are pregnant or you become pregnant. Controlling diabetes is very important during pregnancy, and having high blood sugar may cause complications in both the mother and the baby. However, you may need to stop taking glipizide and metformin for a short time just before your due date.

Metformin may stimulate ovulation in a premenopausal woman and may increase the risk of unintended pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about your risk.

You should not breastfeed while you are taking this medicine.

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How to use Glipizide and metformin

Usual Adult Dose for Diabetes Type 2:

Doses provided as glipizide-metforminPatients with Inadequate Glycemic Control on Diet and Exercise Alone: -Initial dose: 2.5 mg-250 mg orally once a dayPatients with Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) between 280 and 320 mg/dL:-Initial dose: 2.5 mg-500 mg orally twice a day Maintenance Dose: Increase in increments of 2.5 mg-500 mg per day every 2 weeks to the minimum effective dose to achieve adequate blood glucose control Maximum Initial Dose: 10 mg-1000 mg or 10 mg-2000 mg per day in divided dosesPatients with Inadequate Glycemic Control on Glipizide (or another Sulfonylurea) and /or Metformin:Initial dose: 2.5 mg-500 mg or 5 mg-500 mg orally twice a dayMaintenance Dose: Increase in increments of no more than 5 mg-500 mg to the minimum effective dose to achieve adequate blood glucose control Maximum Dose: 20 mg-2000 mg per day Comments:-Give with meals; initial doses should be conservative to avoid hypoglycemia largely due to glipizide and gastrointestinal side effects largely due to metformin.-For patients who are switching to combination therapy, initial doses should not exceed the daily dose of glipizide (or equivalent sulfonylurea) and metformin already being taken; the decision to switch to the nearest equivalent dose should be based on clinical judgement. -Monitor patients closely for signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia. Use: As an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Warnings

You should not use glipizide and metformin if you have severe kidney disease or diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment).

If you need to have any type of x-ray or CT scan using a dye that is injected into your veins, you may need to temporarily stop taking glipizide and metformin.

You may develop lactic acidosis, a dangerous build-up of lactic acid in your blood. Call your doctor or get emergency medical help if you have unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain, dizziness, feeling cold, or feeling very weak or tired.

What other drugs will affect Glipizide and metformin

Many drugs can affect glipizide and metformin, making glipizide and metformin less effective or increasing your risk of lactic acidosis. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed here. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.

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