20/10/2016

Glucotrol,GlucotrolXL(glipizide)dosing,indications,interactions,adverseeffects,andmore

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glipizide(Rx)BrandandOtherNames:Glucotrol,GlucotrolXL,
Minodiab
Classes:Antidiabetics,Sulfonylureas

PatientHandout
PatientEducation
glipizideoral
IMPORTANT:HOWTOUSETHISINFORMATION:ThisisasummaryanddoesNOThaveallpossibleinformation
aboutthisproduct.Thisinformationdoesnotassurethatthisproductissafe,effective,orappropriateforyou.This
informationisnotindividualmedicaladviceanddoesnotsubstitutefortheadviceofyourhealthcareprofessional.
Alwaysaskyourhealthcareprofessionalforcompleteinformationaboutthisproductandyourspecifichealthneeds.
GLIPIZIDEEXTENDEDRELEASETABLETORAL
(GLIPizide)
COMMONBRANDNAME(S):GlucotrolXL
USES:
Glipizideisusedwithaproperdietandexerciseprogramtocontrolhighbloodsugarinpeoplewithtype2diabetes.
Itmayalsobeusedwithotherdiabetesmedications.Controllinghighbloodsugarhelpspreventkidneydamage,
blindness,nerveproblems,lossoflimbs,andsexualfunctionproblems.Propercontrolofdiabetesmayalsolessen
yourriskofaheartattackorstroke.Glipizidebelongstotheclassofdrugsknownassulfonylureas.Itlowersblood
sugarbycausingthereleaseofyourbody'snaturalinsulin.
HOWTOUSE:
ReadthePatientInformationLeafletifavailablefromyourpharmacistbeforeyoustarttakingglipizideandeach
timeyougetarefill.Ifyouhaveanyquestions,askyourdoctororpharmacist.
Takethismedicationbymouthwithbreakfastasdirectedbyyourdoctor,usuallyoncedaily.Thedosageisbasedon
yourmedicalconditionandresponsetotreatment.
Toreduceyourriskofsideeffects,yourdoctormaydirectyoutostartthismedicationatalowdoseandgradually
increaseyourdose.Followyourdoctor'sinstructionscarefully.
Ifyouarealreadytakinganotherantidiabeticdrug(suchaschlorpropamide),followyourdoctor'sdirectionscarefully
forstoppingtheolddrugandstartingglipizide.

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Glucotrol,GlucotrolXL(glipizide)dosing,indications,interactions,adverseeffects,andmore

Donotcrushorchewextendedreleasetablets.Doingsocanreleaseallofthedrugatonce,increasingtheriskof
sideeffects.Also,donotsplitthetabletsunlesstheyhaveascorelineandyourdoctororpharmacisttellsyoutodo
so.Swallowthewholeorsplittabletwithoutcrushingorchewing.
Colesevelamcandecreasetheabsorptionofglipizide.Ifyouaretakingcolesevelam,takeglipizideatleast4hours
beforetakingcolesevelam.
Usethismedicationregularlytogetthemostbenefitfromit.Tohelpyouremember,takeitatthesametimeeach
day.
Tellyourdoctorifyourconditiondoesnotimproveorifitworsens(yourbloodsugarlevelsaretoohighortoolow).
SIDEEFFECTS:
Nausea,vomiting,lossofappetite,diarrhea,constipation,upsetstomach,gas,headache,andweightgainmay
occur.Ifanyoftheseeffectspersistorworsen,tellyourdoctororpharmacistpromptly.
Anemptytabletshellmayappearinyourstool.Thiseffectisharmlessbecauseyourbodyhasalreadyabsorbedthe
medication.
Rememberthatyourdoctorhasprescribedthismedicationbecauseheorshehasjudgedthatthebenefittoyouis
greaterthantheriskofsideeffects.Manypeopleusingthismedicationdonothaveserioussideeffects.
Tellyourdoctorrightawayifyouhaveanyserioussideeffects,including:signsofinfection(suchaspersistentsore
throat,fever),easybleeding/bruising,stomachpain,yellowingeyes/skin,darkurine,unusualtiredness/weakness,
unusual/suddenweightgain,mental/moodchanges,swellinghands/feet,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.Yourdosagemayneed
tobeincreased.
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:
Beforetakingglipizide,tellyourdoctororpharmacistifyouareallergictoitorifyouhaveanyotherallergies.This
productmaycontaininactiveingredients,whichcancauseallergicreactionsorotherproblems.Talktoyour
pharmacistformoredetails.
Beforeusingthismedication,tellyourdoctororpharmacistyourmedicalhistory,especiallyof:liverdisease,kidney
disease,thyroiddisease,certainhormonalconditions(adrenal/pituitaryinsufficiency,syndromeofinappropriate
secretionofantidiuretichormoneSIADH),electrolyteimbalance(hyponatremia),stomach/intestineproblems(such
asgastrointestinalstenosisorstricture,impairedemptying).
Youmayexperienceblurredvision,dizziness,ordrowsinessduetoextremelyloworhighbloodsugarlevels.Donot
drive,usemachinery,ordoanyactivitythatrequiresalertnessorclearvisionuntilyouaresureyoucanperform
suchactivitiessafely.
Limitalcoholwhiletakingthismedicationbecauseitcanincreaseyourriskofdevelopinglowbloodsugar.Alcohol
canrarelyinteractwithglipizideandcauseaseriousreaction(disulfiramlikereaction)withsymptomssuchasfacial
flushing,nausea,vomiting,dizziness,orstomachpain.Consultyourdoctororpharmacistaboutthesafeuseof
alcohol.
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.Consultyour
doctorbeforebreastfeeding.
DRUGINTERACTIONS:
SeealsoHowtoUsesection.
Druginteractionsmaychangehowyourmedicationsworkorincreaseyourriskforserioussideeffects.This
documentdoesnotcontainallpossibledruginteractions.Keepalistofalltheproductsyouuse(including

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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.
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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