Glipizide

CAUTION:
Oral hypoglycemic drugs, including glipizide, have been associated with increased cardiovascular mortality. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks, benefits, and alternatives of using this drug for your condition.

General Information and Indications:

Glipizide is used to treat type 2 (noninsulin-dependent) diabetes (formerly 'adult-onset'), particularly in people whose diabetes cannot be controlled by diet alone. Glipizide lowers blood sugar by stimulating the pancreas to secrete insulin and helping the body use insulin efficiently. The pancreas must be capable of producing insulin for this medication to work. Glipizide is not used to treat type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes (formerly 'juvenile-onset').

Information For Users:

Glipizide comes in tablets to take by mouth. It is usually taken once a day, 30 minutes before breakfast. Follow the directions on your prescription label, ask your doctor or pharmacist If you have any questions. Take glipizide exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your health care provider.

Continue taking glipizide even if you feel well. Do not discontinue taking glipizide without informing your doctor.

special precautions:

o Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have allergy to glipizide or any other medications.
o Inform your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially antibiotics, anticoagulants ('blood thinners') such as warfarin (Coumadin), dexamethasone (Decadron), diuretics ('water pills'), estrogens, isoniazid (INH), MAO inhibitors [phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate)], medications for high blood pressure or heart disease, niacin, oral contraceptives, phenytoin (Dilantin), prednisone, probenecid (Benemid), and vitamins.
o inform your doctor if you are breast-feeding kidney, liver, heart, or thyroid disease or a severe infection.
o Inform your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking glipizide, call your doctor.
o if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, Inform your doctor or dentist that you are taking glipizide.
o plan to avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight and to wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Glipizide may make your skin sensitive to sunlight.

Be sure to follow all exercise and dietary recommendations made by your doctor or dietitian. It is important to eat a healthy diet.

To monitor the effectiveness of glipizide, measure the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood or urine (when blood sugar is above a certain high level, you will have sugar in your urine). For these measurements, you will need special paper tapes, tablets, or plastic strips that change color depending on how much sugar is present. You also can use a blood glucose meter to measure the amount of sugar in your blood. Your doctor also may ask you to test your urine for ketones (substances present when diabetes is not under control). Follow your doctor's recommendations for testing your urine and blood and for recording the results. If your blood sugar is high or if sugar or ketones are present in your urine, call your doctor.

Possible Adverse Effects:

You should know the symptoms of low and high blood sugar and what to do if you have them.

Eat or drink a food or beverage with sugar in it, such as hard candy or fruit juice, and call your doctor without delay if you have any of the symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) :

o shakiness
o lightheadedness or dizziness
o sweating
o confusion
o nervousness or irritability
o sudden changes in behavior or mood
o headache
o numbness or tingling around the mouth
o weakness
o pale skin
o sudden hunger
o clumsy or jerky movements
o seizures

call your doctor without delay if you have any of the following symptoms of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar):

o extreme thirst
o frequent urination
o extreme hunger
o weakness
o blurred vision (Impaired vision)

If high blood sugar is not treated, a serious, life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis could develop. call your doctor without delay if you have any of the these symptoms:

o dry mouth
o upset stomach and vomiting
o shortness of breath
o breath that smells fruity
o decreased consciousness

Glipizide may cause adverse effects. If you have any of the following symptoms, call your doctor without delay:

o skin rash
o itching or redness
o exaggerated sunburn
o yellowing of the skin or eyes, jaundice
o light-colored stools
o dark urine
o unusual bruising or bleeding
o fever
o sore throat

Possible Symptoms of Overdose:

Brand Name(s):

o Glucotrol®