Glucotrol

Generic name: Glipizide
Drug class: Sulfonylureas

Usage of Glucotrol

Glucotrol is an oral diabetes medicine that helps control blood sugar levels by helping your pancreas produce insulin.

Glucotrol is used together with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Glucotrol is not for treating type 1 diabetes.

Glucotrol side effects

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

Call your doctor at once if you have symptoms of low blood sugar:

headache, irritability

sweating, fast heart rate;

dizziness, nausea; or

hunger, feeling anxious or shaky.

Common Glucotrol side effects may include:

diarrhea, constipation, gas;

dizziness, drowsiness;

tremors; or

skin rash, redness, or itching.

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 Glucotrol

You should not use Glucotrol if you are allergic to glipizide, or if you have diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment).

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

liver or kidney disease;

chronic diarrhea, or a blockage in your intestines; or

an enzyme deficiency called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD).

Follow your doctor's instructions about using Glucotrol 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 Glucotrol for a short time just before your due date.

It may not be safe to breastfeed while using this medicine. Ask your doctor about any risk.

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How to use Glucotrol

Usual Adult Dose of Glucotrol for Diabetes Type 2:

Immediate release: Initial dose: 5 mg orally once a day, 30 minutes before breakfast Maintenance dose: Up to 40 mg in divided doses 30 minutes before a meal of adequate caloric content. Doses may be increased in intervals of 2.5 to 5 mg a day according to blood glucose response. Maximum single dose: 15 mg Maximum daily dose: 40 mg Comments: -At least several days should elapse between titration steps. -If response to a single dose is not satisfactory, dividing that dose may prove effective. Extended Release: Initial dose: 5 mg orally once a day, 30 minutes before breakfast Maintenance dose: 5 to 10 mg orally once a day Maximum daily dose: 20 mg Patients receiving immediate release may be switched safely to extended release tablets once-a-day at the nearest equivalent total daily dose, or titrate to the appropriate extended release dose starting with 5 mg once daily. Combination use: -When adding other blood-glucose-lowering agents to the extended release tablets, the agent should be initiated at the lowest recommended dose. Observe for hypoglycemia. -When adding extended release tablets to other blood-glucose-lowering agents, Glucotrol XL extended release can be initiated at 5 mg. Start at a lower dose in patients that are more sensitive to hypoglycemia. When transferring patients from insulin to glipizide, the following general guidelines should be considered: -For patients with daily insulin doses of 20 units or less: Discontinue insulin and begin glipizide at usual dosages. -For patients with daily insulin doses greater than 20 units: Insulin dose should be reduced by 50% and glipizide therapy may begin at usual dosages. Comments: -Several days should elapse between titration steps. -Subsequent reductions in insulin dosage should depend on individual patient response. -During the insulin withdrawal period, the patient should test urine samples for sugar and ketone bodies at least three times daily. -Some patients receiving greater than 40 units of insulin daily may need to consider hospitalization during the transition period. Patients Receiving Other Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: -When transferring from longer half-life sulfonylureas: Observe for 1 to 2 weeks for hypoglycemia. -Glucotrol XL extended release coadministered with colesevelam: Glipizide should be administered at least 4 hours prior to colesevelam. Use: Adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Usual Geriatric Dose of Glucotrol for Diabetes Type 2:

Initial dose: 2.5 mg orally once a day 30 minutes before breakfast Comments: -Maintenance dosing should be conservative to avoid hypoglycemic reactions. -Doses can be adjusted with caution taking into account the degree of hepatic, renal, or cardiac function, and the concomitant disease or other drug therapy. Use: Adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Warnings

You should not use Glucotrol if you have diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment).

Before taking Glucotrol, tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver disease, chronic diarrhea or a blockage in your intestines, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD), a disorder of your pituitary or adrenal glands, a history of heart disease, or if you are malnourished.

What other drugs will affect Glucotrol

Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medications at the same time. Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you take, which may increase side effects or make the medications less effective.

Many drugs can interact with glipizide. 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.

Disclaimer

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