20/10/2016

Amaryl,(glimepiride)dosing,indications,interactions,adverseeffects,andmore

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glimepiride(Rx)BrandandOtherNames:Amaryl
Classes:Antidiabetics,Sulfonylureas

PatientHandout
PatientEducation
glimepirideoral
IMPORTANT:HOWTOUSETHISINFORMATION:ThisisasummaryanddoesNOThaveallpossibleinformation
aboutthisproduct.Thisinformationdoesnotassurethatthisproductissafe,effective,orappropriateforyou.This
informationisnotindividualmedicaladviceanddoesnotsubstitutefortheadviceofyourhealthcareprofessional.
Alwaysaskyourhealthcareprofessionalforcompleteinformationaboutthisproductandyourspecifichealthneeds.
GLIMEPIRIDEORAL
(glyeMEPiride)
COMMONBRANDNAME(S):Amaryl
USES:
Glimepirideisusedwithaproperdietandexerciseprogramtocontrolhighbloodsugarinpeoplewithtype2
diabetes.Itmayalsobeusedwithotherdiabetesmedications.Controllinghighbloodsugarhelpspreventkidney
damage,blindness,nerveproblems,lossoflimbs,andsexualfunctionproblems.Propercontrolofdiabetesmay
alsolessenyourriskofaheartattackorstroke.Glimepiridebelongstotheclassofdrugsknownassulfonylureas.It
lowersbloodsugarbycausingthereleaseofyourbody'snaturalinsulin.
HOWTOUSE:
ReadthePatientInformationLeafletifavailablefromyourpharmacistbeforeyoustarttakingglimepirideandeach
timeyougetarefill.Ifyouhaveanyquestions,askyourdoctororpharmacist.
Takethismedicationbymouthwithbreakfastorthefirstmainmealoftheday,asdirectedbyyourdoctor,usually
oncedaily.Thedosageisbasedonyourmedicalconditionandresponsetotreatment.
Usethismedicationregularlytogetthemostbenefitfromit.Tohelpyouremember,takeitatthesametimeeach
day.
Toreduceyourriskofsideeffects,yourdoctormaydirectyoutostartthismedicationatalowdoseandgradually
increaseyourdose.Followyourdoctor'sinstructionscarefully.
Ifyouarealreadytakinganotherantidiabeticdrug(suchaschlorpropamide),followyourdoctor'sdirectionscarefully
forstoppingtheolddrugandstartingglimepiride.

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Colesevelamcandecreasetheabsorptionofglimepiride.Ifyouaretakingcolesevelam,takeglimepirideatleast4
hoursbeforetakingcolesevelam.
Tellyourdoctorifyourconditiondoesnotimproveorifitworsens(yourbloodsugarlevelsaretoohighortoolow).
SIDEEFFECTS:
Nauseaandupsetstomachmayoccur.Ifeitheroftheseeffectspersistsorworsens,tellyourdoctororpharmacist
promptly.
Rememberthatyourdoctorhasprescribedthismedicationbecauseheorshehasjudgedthatthebenefittoyouis
greaterthantheriskofsideeffects.Manypeopleusingthismedicationdonothaveserioussideeffects.
Tellyourdoctorrightawayifyouhaveanyserioussideeffects,including:yellowingeyes/skin,stomach/abdominal
pain,darkurine,unusualtiredness/weakness,easybleeding/bruising,signsofinfection(suchasfever,persistent
sorethroat),mental/moodchanges,unusual/suddenweightgain,seizures.
Thismedicationcancauselowbloodsugar(hypoglycemia).Thismayoccurifyoudonotconsumeenoughcalories
fromfoodorifyoudounusuallyheavyexercise.Symptomsoflowbloodsugarincludesuddensweating,shaking,
fastheartbeat,hunger,blurredvision,dizziness,ortinglinghands/feet.Itisagoodhabittocarryglucosetabletsor
geltotreatlowbloodsugar.Ifyoudon'thavethesereliableformsofglucose,rapidlyraiseyourbloodsugarby
eatingaquicksourceofsugarsuchastablesugar,honey,orcandy,ordrinkfruitjuiceornondietsoda.Tellyour
doctorrightawayaboutthereactionandtheuseofthisproduct.Tohelppreventlowbloodsugar,eatmealsona
regularschedule,anddonotskipmeals.Checkwithyourdoctororpharmacisttofindoutwhatyoushoulddoifyou
missameal.
Symptomsofhighbloodsugar(hyperglycemia)includethirst,increasedurination,confusion,drowsiness,flushing,
rapidbreathing,andfruitybreathodor.Ifthesesymptomsoccur,tellyourdoctorrightaway.Yourmedicationdosage
mayneedtobeincreased.
Averyseriousallergicreactiontothisdrugisrare.However,getmedicalhelprightawayifyounoticeanysymptoms
ofaseriousallergicreaction,including:rash,itching/swelling(especiallyoftheface/tongue/throat),severedizziness,
troublebreathing.
Thisisnotacompletelistofpossiblesideeffects.Ifyounoticeothereffectsnotlistedabove,contactyourdoctoror
pharmacist.
IntheUS
Callyourdoctorformedicaladviceaboutsideeffects.YoumayreportsideeffectstoFDAat1800FDA1088orat
www.fda.gov/medwatch.
InCanadaCallyourdoctorformedicaladviceaboutsideeffects.YoumayreportsideeffectstoHealthCanadaat
18662342345.
PRECAUTIONS:
Beforetakingglimepiride,tellyourdoctororpharmacistifyouareallergictoitorifyouhaveanyotherallergies.
Thisproductmaycontaininactiveingredients,whichcancauseallergicreactionsorotherproblems.Talktoyour
pharmacistformoredetails.
Beforeusingthismedication,tellyourdoctororpharmacistyourmedicalhistory,especiallyof:liverdisease,kidney
disease,thyroiddisease,certainhormonalconditions(adrenal/pituitaryinsufficiency,syndromeofinappropriate
secretionofantidiuretichormoneSIADH),electrolyteimbalance(hyponatremia).
Youmayexperienceblurredvision,dizziness,ordrowsinessduetoextremelyloworhighbloodsugarlevels.Donot
drive,usemachinery,ordoanyactivitythatrequiresalertnessorclearvisionuntilyouaresureyoucanperform
suchactivitiessafely.
Limitalcoholwhiletakingthismedicationbecauseitcanincreaseyourriskofdevelopinglowbloodsugar.
Itmaybehardertocontrolyourbloodsugarwhenyourbodyisstressed(suchasduetofever,infection,injury,or
surgery).Consultyourdoctorbecausethismayrequireachangeinyourtreatmentplan,medications,orbloodsugar
testing.
Thismedicationmaymakeyoumoresensitivetothesun.Avoidprolongedsunexposure,tanningbooths,and
sunlamps.Useasunscreenandwearprotectiveclothingwhenoutdoors.
Beforehavingsurgery,tellyourdoctorordentistaboutalltheproductsyouuse(includingprescriptiondrugs,
nonprescriptiondrugs,andherbalproducts).
Olderadultsmaybemoresensitivetothesideeffectsofthisdrug,especiallylowbloodsugar.
Duringpregnancy,thismedicationshouldbeusedonlywhenclearlyneeded.Discusstherisksandbenefitswith
yourdoctor.
Pregnancymaycauseorworsendiabetes.Discussaplanwithyourdoctorformanagingyourbloodsugarwhile
pregnant.Yourdoctormaychangeyourdiabetestreatmentduringyourpregnancy(suchasdietandmedications
includinginsulin).
Itisunknownifthismedicationpassesintobreastmilk.However,similardrugspassintobreastmilk.Breastfeeding
whileusingthismedicationisnotrecommended.Consultyourdoctorbeforebreastfeeding.
DRUGINTERACTIONS:
SeealsoHowtoUsesection.
Druginteractionsmaychangehowyourmedicationsworkorincreaseyourriskforserioussideeffects.This
documentdoesnotcontainallpossibledruginteractions.Keepalistofalltheproductsyouuse(including
prescription/nonprescriptiondrugsandherbalproducts)andshareitwithyourdoctorandpharmacist.Donotstart,
stop,orchangethedosageofanymedicineswithoutyourdoctor'sapproval.
Manydrugscanaffectyourbloodsugarlevels,makingitmoredifficulttocontrolyourbloodsugar.Beforeyoustart,
stop,orchangeanymedication,talkwithyourdoctororpharmacistabouthowthemedicationmayaffectyourblood
sugar.Checkyourbloodsugarlevelsregularlyasdirectedbyyourdoctor.Tellyourdoctorabouttheresultsandof
anysymptomsofhighorlowbloodsugar.(SeealsoSideEffectssection.)Yourdoctormayneedtoadjustyouranti
diabeticmedication,exerciseprogram,ordiet.
Betablockermedications(includingmetoprolol,propranolol,glaucomaeyedropssuchastimolol)maypreventthe
fast/poundingheartbeatyouwouldusuallyfeelwhenyourbloodsugarlevelfallstoolow(hypoglycemia).Other
symptomsoflowbloodsugarsuchasdizziness,hunger,orsweatingareunaffectedbythesedrugs.

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Amaryl,(glimepiride)dosing,indications,interactions,adverseeffects,andmore

Checkthelabelsonallyourmedicines(suchascoughandcoldproducts)becausetheymaycontainingredientsthat
couldaffectyourbloodsugar.Askyourpharmacistaboutusingthoseproductssafely.
OVERDOSE:
Ifoverdoseissuspected,contactapoisoncontrolcenteroremergencyroomrightaway.USresidentscancalltheir
localpoisoncontrolcenterat18002221222.Canadaresidentscancallaprovincialpoisoncontrolcenter.
Symptomsofoverdosemayinclude:shakiness,fastheartbeat,sweating,lossofconsciousness.
NOTES:
Donotsharethismedicationwithothers.
Attendadiabeteseducationprogramtolearnmoreaboutdiabetesandtheimportantaspectsofitstreatment,
includingmedications,diet,exercise,andgettingregulareye/foot/medicalexams.
Learnthesymptomsofhighandlowbloodsugarandhowtotreatlowbloodsugar.Checkyourbloodsugarlevels
regularlyasdirected.
Keepallregularmedicalandlaboratoryappointments.Laboratoryand/ormedicaltests(suchasliverandkidney
functiontests,fastingbloodglucose,hemoglobinA1c,completebloodcounts)shouldbeperformedperiodicallyto
monitoryourprogressorcheckforsideeffects.
MISSEDDOSE:
Ifyoumissadose,takeitassoonasyouremember.Ifitisnearthetimeofthenextdose,skipthemisseddose
andresumeyourusualdosingschedule.Donotdoublethedosetocatchup.
STORAGE:
Storeatroomtemperatureawayfromlightandmoisture.Donotstoreinthebathroom.Keepallmedicationsaway
fromchildrenandpets.
Donotflushmedicationsdownthetoiletorpourthemintoadrainunlessinstructedtodoso.Properlydiscardthis
productwhenitisexpiredornolongerneeded.Consultyourpharmacistorlocalwastedisposalcompany.
MEDICALALERT:Yourconditioncancausecomplicationsinamedicalemergency.Forinformationaboutenrolling
inMedicAlert,call18886334298(US)or18006681507(Canada).
InformationlastrevisedOctober2015.Copyright(c)2015FirstDatabank,Inc.

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