What is Generic Amaryl (Glimepride)?
Amaryl is an oral diabetes medicine that helps control blood sugar levels. This medication helps your body respond better to insulin produced by your pancreas.
What Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) used for?
Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to lower the blood glucose in patients with noninsulin-dependent (Type 2) diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) whose hyperglycemia cannot be controlled by diet and exercise alone. Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) may be used concomitantly with metformin when diet, exercise, and Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) or metformin alone do not result in adequate glycemic control.
Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) is also indicated for use in combination with insulin to lower blood glucose in patients whose hyperglycemia cannot be controlled by diet and exercise in conjunction with an oral hypoglycemic agent.
Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) Facts
Active Ingredients: glimepiride
Other Ingredients: lactose (hydrous), sodium starch glycolate, povidone, microcrystalline cellulose, and magnesium stearate.
Class and Mechanism: Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) is an oral blood sugar-lowering drug in a class of medicines for controlling diabetes called sulfonylureas. Generic Amaryl (Glimepride)
is related to other sulfonylureas including glyburide (Micronase; Diabeta), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase) and tolazamide (Tolinase).
Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) is used in type II diabetes, the most common type of diabetes that is found in 90% of patients with diabetes. In type II diabetes, insulin usually is not necessary to control the blood sugar. Instead, diet and oral medications often are sufficient. Intolerance to sugar that results in elevated blood sugar is caused by reduced insulin secretion by the pancreas and resistance to insulin's effects by the body's cells. Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) lowers the sugar level in the blood by stimulating insulin to be secreted from the pancreas into the blood. Insulin causes sugar to leave the blood and enter cells throughout the body.
Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) Storage
Keep out of the reach of children in a container that small children cannot open. Store at room temperature below 30 degrees C (86 degrees F). Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date.
How to take Generic Amaryl (Glimepride)?
The usual starting dose is 1 to 2 milligrams taken once daily with breakfast or the first main meal. The maximum starting dose is 2 milligrams.
If necessary, your doctor will gradually increase the dose 1 or 2 milligrams at a time every 1 or 2 weeks. Your diabetes will probably be controlled on 1 to 4 milligrams a day; the most you should take in a day is 8 milligrams. If the maximum dose fails to do the job, your doctor may add Glucophage to your regimen.
Weakened or malnourished people and those with adrenal, pituitary, kidney, or liver disorders are particularly sensitive to hypoglycemic drugs such as Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) and should start at 1 milligram once daily. Your doctor will increase your medication based on your response to the drug
When OVERDOSE is suspected seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.
Symptoms of a Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) overdose include hunger, nausea, anxiety, cold sweats, weakness, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, and coma.
What to do if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication
Who should not take Generic Amaryl (Glimepride)?
Do not take Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) while pregnant. Since studies suggest the importance of maintaining normal blood sugar levels during pregnancy, your doctor may prescribe injected insulin instead. Drugs similar to Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) do appear in breast milk and may cause low blood sugar in nursing infants. You should not take Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) while nursing. If diet alone does not control your sugar levels, your doctor may prescribe injected insulin.
What side effects may occur?
Low blood sugar can occur during glimepiride therapy. Symptoms of low blood sugar include hunger, nausea, tiredness, perspiration, headache, heart palpitations, numbness around the mouth, tingling in the fingers, tremors, muscle weakness, blurred vision, cold temperature, excessive yawning, irritability, confusion, or loss of consciousness. Other side effects include dizziness (1 of every 60 persons), headache (1 of every 75), and nausea or vomiting (1 of every 90). A rash occurs in fewer than 1 of every 100 persons who receive Generic Amaryl (Glimepride).
Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) Drug Interactions
Tell your doctor of all nonprescription and prescription medication you are using, especially:
- Bosentan
- medicines for fungal or yeast infections (examples: fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole)
- rifampin
- warfarin
Many medications may cause changes (increase or decrease) in blood sugar, these include:
- alcohol containing beverages
- aspirin and aspirin-like drugs
- beta-blockers, often used for high blood pressure or heart problems (examples include atenolol, metoprolol, propranolol)chromium
- female hormones, such as estrogens or progestins, birth control pills
- isoniazid
- male hormones or anabolic steroids
- medications for weight loss
- medicines for allergies, asthma, cold, or cough
- niacin
- pentamidine
- phenytoin
- quinolone antibiotics (examples: ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, ofloxacin)
- some herbal dietary supplements
- steroid medicines such as prednisone or cortisone
- thyroid hormones
- water pills (diuretics)
Tell your prescriber or health care professional: about all other medicines you are taking including nonprescription medicines; if you are a frequent user of drinks with caffeine or alcohol; if you smoke; or if you use illegal drugs. These can affect the way your medicine works. Check with your health care professional before stopping or starting any of your medicines
Additional Information
Always remember that Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) is an aid to, not a substitute for, good diet and exercise. Failure to follow a sound diet and exercise plan may diminish the results of Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) and can lead to serious complications such as dangerously high or low blood sugar levels. Remember, too, that Generic Amaryl (Glimepride) is not an oral form of insulin, and cannot be used in place of insulin.