Glucotrol (Glipizide)

General information

Glucotrol is an oral blood-glucose-lowering drug of the sulfonylurea class that helps control blood sugar levels. The active ingredient is glipizide. This medication helps your pancreas produce insulin. Glucotrol is used together with diet and exercise to treat type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes.

Directions

Take Glucotrol exactly as prescribed by your doctor. The recommended starting dose is 5 mg. Geriatric patients or those with liver disease may be started on 2.5 mg. The maximum recommended total daily dose is 40 mg. Take Glucotrol 30 minutes before a meal. If you take Glucotrol once daily, take it 30 minutes before breakfast. Swallow it whole. Breaking the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results. Your blood sugar will need to be checked often. Do not change your medication dose or schedule.

Precautions

Tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease, chronic diarrhea, heart disease. Avoid drinking alcohol while taking Glucotrol. It lowers blood sugar and may interfere with your diabetes treatment.

Contraindications

Do not use Glucotrol if you are allergic to glipizide, or if you are in a state of diabetic ketoacidosis. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Possible side effect

Get emergency medical help if you have bleeding, rapid heart rate, pale skin, difficulty breathing, nausea, hives, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dark urine. Less serious side effects may include: dizziness, itching, redness, diarrhea.

Drug interactions

Avoid taking drugs that raise blood sugar (diuretics, steroids, thyroid medicine, birth control pills and other hormones, niacin, diet pills, medicines to treat asthma or allergies and heart or blood pressure medication), or drugs that lower blood sugar (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, fluconazole, blood thinner, beta-blockers, aspirin). Tell your doctor about all medications you use, especially prescription or over-the-counter medication, vitamin, and herbal products.

Missed dose

Take the missed dose as soon as possible. Skip the missed dose if it is time for your next scheduled dose. Don't take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Overdose

If you think you have overdosed the medicine seek emergency medical help at once. The overdose symptoms are blurred vision, seizure, extreme weakness, stomach pain, trouble speaking, tremors, sweating.

Storage

Store the medicine at room temperature between 68-77 degrees F (20-25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Keep all drugs away from reach of children and pets.

Note

The information presented at the site has a general character. Note please this information cannot be used for self-treatment and self diagnosis. You should consult with your doctor or health care adviser regarding any specific instructions of your condition. The information is reliable, but we concede it could contain mistakes. We are not responsible for any direct, indirect, special or other damage caused by use of this information on the site and also for consequences of self-treatment.