What side effects are possible with this medication?
A side effect is an unwanted response to a medication when it is taken in normal doses. It can be mild or severe, temporary or permanent, but does not occur in everyone. The following side effects have been reported by at least 1% of people taking this medication. If you develop any of these side effects (or any other side effects not listed here) or they change in intensity, speak to your doctor or pharmacist for advice on managing them and on the risks and benefits of the medication.
- abdominal pain
- constipation
- diarrhea
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- headache
- nausea or vomiting
- skin rash or itching
Click here to learn about serious side effects that can potentially occur with any medication. These examples are provided for information purposes only and are not meant to be exhaustive. Always consult your doctor for sound medical advice specific to your particular medication and treatment.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online or by phone at 1-800-332-1088.
Are there any other precautions or warnings for this medication?
Before you begin using a medication, be sure to inform your doctor of any medical conditions or allergies you may have, any medications you are taking, whether you are pregnant or breast-feeding, and any other significant facts about your health. These factors may affect how you should use this medication.
Anemia: People with glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency may be at an increased risk of anemia when taking this medication. If you have glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, discuss with your doctor how this medication may affect your medical condition, how your medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed.
Diet and exercise: Treatment with glyburide must take place in addition to a proper diet and exercise program and not be used as a substitute for such a program.
Heart disease: Studies with related medications have shown that people taking these medications had a higher risk of dying of heart disease. It is not known whether glipizide will also increase this risk. Speak to your doctor about the risks and benefits of treatment.
Kidney disease: If you have kidney disease, discuss with your doctor how this medication may affect your medical condition, how your medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed.
Liver disease: If you have liver disease, discuss with your doctor how this medication may affect your medical condition, how your medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed.
Loss of blood sugar control: You may experience loss of blood sugar control during illness or stressful situations such as fever, infection, trauma, or surgery while taking this medication.
Under these conditions, your doctor may consider stopping the medication and prescribing insulin until your blood sugar is controlled and within target levels. For some people, their doctor may prescribe insulin or other oral medications in combination with glipizide to control blood sugar.
Low blood glucose: Glyburide may cause low blood glucose (hypoglycemia). Situations which may bring this on include:
- advanced age
- alcoholism
- certain thyroid diseases
- exercise without adequate calorie intake
- liver disease or kidney disease
- malnutrition or irregular meals
Signs of low blood glucose include:
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- headache
- lack of energy
- nervousness
- numbness or tingling
- shakiness
- sweating
- weakness
Monitor your blood glucose regularly and keep emergency glucose (and a glucagon kit) available in case you need to increase blood glucose levels. Talk with your doctor or diabetes educator about this.
Reduced response: Over a period of time, glipizide may become less effective as your diabetes worsens. If glipizide fails to lower blood glucose to target levels, talk to your doctor. Your doctor may recommend replacing glyburide or adding another medication for diabetes.
Pregnancy: This medication should not be used during pregnancy unless the benefits outweigh the risks If you become pregnant while taking this medication, contact your doctor immediately to talk about the benefits and risks of using this medication.
Breast-feeding: It is not known if glipizide passes into breast milk. If you are a breast-feeding mother and are taking this medication, it may affect your baby. Talk to your doctor about whether you will need to stop taking the medication or stop breast-feeding.
Children: The safety and effectiveness of this medication have not been established for children.
What other drugs could interact with this medication?
There may be an interaction between glipizide and any of the following:
- azole antifungals (e.g., fluconazole, miconazole)
- beta blockers (e.g., atenolol, metoprolol)
- calcium channel blockers (e.g., amlodipine, verapamil)
- chloramphenicol
- corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone)
- diuretics (e.g., hydrochlorothiazide)
- estrogens (e.g., conjugated estrogens)
- isoniazid
- laxatives (after prolonged use)
- MAO inhibitors (e.g., phenelzine, tranylcypromine)
- nicotinic acid
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- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; e.g., naproxen, ibuprofen)
- phenothiazines (e.g., chlorpromazine)
- phenytoin
- probenecid
- progestogens (e.g., medroxyprogesterone)
- salicylates (e.g., aspirin, salsalate)
- sulfonamides (e.g., sulfamethoxazole)
- sympathomimetics (e.g., epinephrine)
- thyroid medications (e.g., levothyroxine, liothyroxine)
- warfarin
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If you are taking any of these medications, speak with your doctor or pharmacist. Depending on your specific circumstances, your doctor may want you to:
- stop taking one of the medications,
- change one of the medications to another,
- change how you are taking one or both of the medications, or
- leave everything as is.
An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of them. Speak to your doctor about how any drug interactions are being managed or should be managed.
Medications other than those listed above may interact with this medication. Tell your doctor or prescriber about all prescription, over-the-counter (non-prescription), and herbal medications you are taking. Also tell them about any supplements you take. Since caffeine, alcohol, the nicotine from cigarettes, or street drugs can affect the action of many medications, you should let your prescriber know if you use them.