What is glimepiride ?
Glimepiride is a drug since 1995 on the international market on prescription and belongs to the group of medicines called sulfonylureas (derivatives of sulfonylurea) respectively. Sulfonylureas stimulate the release of insulin by the β-cells in the pancreas (pancreas), and thus provide for a reduced amount of glucose in the blood. It is used in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM 2). In this form of diabetes mellitus, there has been a resistance to insulin. This is in contrast to diabetes mellitus type 1; here has been a deranged production of insulin. Type 2 diabetes mellitus usually presents itself in people of European origin over the age of 40. Of the patients, 80% overweight.
For treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus is a diet is often sufficient. After restoration of obesity, glucose metabolism, is usually recovers by itself. If this unsatisfactory result is achieved, it is passed to prescribe tablets glimepiride and / or metformin. With few exceptions, is also proceeding to starting insulin syringes:
-During hospitalization
-Repeated infections
-Too high HBA1c despite maximal dose oral anti-diabetic
Glimepiride side effects
Besides lowering blood glucose, blood glucose can also plummet. This is especially common during the first weeks of treatment, but can also occur if the patient has extreme physical effort or if they miss a meal. The patient may suffer from a 'hypo' (ie, hypoglycemia).
In a hypoglycemic attack the patient has too little glucose in the blood. Their symptoms are hungry, a mood swings, confusion, headache, fatigue, dizziness, pale face, blurred vision, tremors and sweating. The patient can raise these phenomena have something to eat or drink, for example sugar, glucose tablets, extra sweet lemonade or a sports drink. It is important, therefore, that a sugar patient always has one of these foods at hand. Artificial sweeteners have no effect, incidentally, so take a 'hypo' no 'light' drinks. It is also important not to eat bread at that time. In bread are fibers, which will slow down the absorption in the gut. This allows the sugars will become less rapidly absorbed into the blood stream and the 'hypo' is less quickly restored. Also no fruit. Except that fibers are also here in, it will also not contribute to an increased glucose level; in fruit is no glucose and fructose. Fructose does not contribute to the level of glucose, and is directly stored in the body as fat.
Glimepiride is long working. This allows the 'hypo' a few hours to come back later. The patient must then eat or drink anything. The symptoms of a 'hypo' can also occur if the patient has too much of the drug in the body, such as those accidentally takes a double dose.
Other side effects occurring in less than one in ten people. The most common are:
-Gastrointestinal complaints, such as nausea, diarrhea, and a pressure or fullness in the stomach. This side effect will hear in a few days to pass, when the patient is accustomed to the drug.
-Blurred vision, as the eyes of the patient to get used to the drug. After several weeks vision will be restored.
Pregnancy
It is very important to 3 to 6 months before conception to stop already with oral antidiabetics (diabetes tablets). There should be passed on injecting insulin. Oral antidiabetics are ' teratogenic '. That means they can cause birth defects.
Furthermore, an extra sharp setting of the blood glucose reading before and during pregnancy is very important. Starting from 6 weeks before conception, a blood sugar of between 3 and 6 mmol/L to be pursued. Giving birth should take place in the hospital.
When all these precautions be observed accurately, is the probability of congenital (congenital) anomalies similar to those in healthy people. Moreover, these measures apply both at type 1 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes mellitus.