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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20/10/2016 Amaryl,(glimepiride)dosing,indications,interactions,adverseeffects,andmore
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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20/10/2016 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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