What is glyburide? How should you take this medication? This guide will break down everything you need to know about glyburide and how to use it.
What Is Micronase (Glyburide)
Micronase (Glyburide) is a drug that comes in the form of tablets. Glyburide drug classification is called sulfonylureas. It is mostly used for treating diabetes. Most often, sulfonylureas contain such active substances as glucotrol, tolazamide, glimepiride, and chlorpropamide.
Micronase is often combined with a healthy diet and exercise to achieve the best results. It helps improve blood sugar control, which is one of the best ways to keep the disease from worsening.
Patients with type 2 diabetes suffer from high levels of glucose in their blood. Due to that, the pancreas isn’t capable of producing enough insulin. Micronase reduces the glucose levels and stimulates the organism to produce more insulin. As a result, the body gets enough insulin. Even though by 2022 this process hasn’t been fully analyzed and studied, the medicine is proven to be effective in fighting the high levels of glucose in a patient’s blood.
Glyburide might be used for a variety of purposes, and not only for treating diabetes. However, it is not used for treating diabetes type 1. Treatment should be discussed personally with your doctor. Do not take this drug on your own. Your doctor is supposed to tell you what is glyburide and how you should take it. The treatment with the medicine should appear on your diabetic identification card.
Use of This Medication
Glyburide, along with some other medication, healthy diet, and exercise, is used to treat type 2 diabetes. This drug can be only effective for those people whose bodies are capable of producing insulin naturally. It is never used to treat type 1 diabetes since the body that suffers from this condition isn’t capable to produce insulin on its own. It is also not used to treat diabetic ketoacidosis, which is a condition that occurs when blood sugar levels aren’t monitored and treated.
There are also other reasons why the drug should be taken. Your doctor should explain what the drug is used for and why you need to use the drug in your case.
Glyburide Dosage
Glyburide dosage is different for different patients. You should follow the doctor’s recommendations or the instructions on the label to make sure that your dose is effective. If your doctor gives you different directions, follow them.
Oral administration is recommended for patients who are prescribed to take the medicine. It can be taken with breakfast or just the first meal.
Glyburide Compared to Insulin for the Treatment of Gestational Diabetes in Women:
Dosage Forms and Strengths
Tablet:
- 1.25mg
- 2.5mg
- 5mg
Micronized tablet:
- 1.5mg
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Regular tablets
- Initial: 2.5-5 mg PO qDay
- Maintenance: 1.25-20 mg PO qDay or q12hr
- Don’t take more than 20 mg per day.
Micronized tablets
- Initial: 1.5-3 mg PO qDay
- Maintenance: 0.75-12 mg PO qDay
- Don’t take more than 12 mg per day.
Patients who are at risk for hypoglycemia should take 0.75 mg PO qDay initially.
Dosage for transferring from insulin therapy to glyburide:
- Current insulin dose <20 units: Discontinue insulin and start taking the dose at 2.5-5 mg per day (regular) or 1.5-3 mg per day (micronized).
- Current insulin dose 20-40 units: Discontinue insulin and start taking the dose at 5 mg per day (regular) or 3 mg per day (micronized).
- Current insulin dose >40 units: Decrease insulin dose by 50% and start taking the dose at 5 mg per day (regular) or 3 mg per day (micronized); increase dose by 1.25-2.5 mg (regular) or 0.75-1.5 mg per day (micronized); decrease insulin dose gradually, based on the patient’s reaction as glyburide dose increased.
Dosing Considerations
Micronized and conventional formulations of glyburide are not bioequivalent and should not be taken at the same time.
| Renal impairment | Use conservative initial and maintenance doses of glyburide to avoid hypoglycemic reactions. Consider an initial adult dosage of 1.25 mg/day PO for conventional glyburide products or 0.75 mg per day PO for micronized tablets, then adjust to achieve clinical goals. |
| Hepatic impairment | Use conservative initial and maintenance doses of glyburide to avoid hypoglycemic reactions. Consider an initial adult dosage of 1.25 mg/day PO for conventional glyburide products or 0.75 mg per day PO for micronized tablets, then adjust to achieve clinical goals. |
Dosage Modifications
Renal impairment: If CrCl less than 50 mL/min.
Hepatic impairment: Use conservative initial and maintenance doses; avoid intake of the drug in severe liver disease.
Pediatric: Safety and efficacy not established.
Geriatric Dosing
Initial and maintenance dosing of glyburide medication should remain conservative. An initial dose of the medicine should be 1.25 mg PO once daily. The daily dose should be titrated by no more than 2.5 mg per.
For more micronized products, consider an initial dose of 0.75 mg PO once every day. The daily dose should be titrated by no more than 1.5 mg per week. The usual range is 0.75 to 12 mg/day, given in single or divided doses.
You should study the instruction to find more details about the active substances and how the drug should be taken.
How Does Micronase Work During Pregnancy
There is no information that would clearly determine the effects of glyburide in pregnancy. There were reproduction studies conducted, in which rabbits received doses in some cases bigger than an average human dose, and the results showed that the drug does no harm to the fetus and doesn’t influence fertility. However, there are no regulated and controlled studies that would have shown that there is no negative impact caused by Micronase.
Many experts recommend using insulin during pregnancy to make sure that glucose levels in the blood are controlled. The decision to take the medicine during pregnancy should be made after visiting the doctor.
It is recommended to stop using the substance at least 2 weeks prior to delivery. There were several reports about severe hypoglycemia among mothers who had taken the drug before giving birth.
There is no information on how glyburide medicine works during breastfeeding. It is not known whether it is excreted into human milk or not, so it is better to discuss the use of a drug with a doctor before taking it.
Glyburide Side Effects
The most common glyburide side effects are as follows: nausea, epigastric fullness, heartburn, and rash.
Other side effects and reactions might occur as well. These include:
- tightness in the chest;
- swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue;
- loss of appetite;
- light-colored stool;
- blood while vomiting;
- increased thirst;
- fever;
- yellow eyes and skin;
- dark urine;
- chills;
- problems with breathing;
- difficulty swallowing;
- dizziness;
- fast heartbeat;
In any case, if you are experiencing any of the listed symptoms as well as others, you should contact your doctor right away. In some cases, you will have to discontinue your therapy.
Incidents of bleeding gums, bloody stool, agitation, and other severe symptoms are not known. If you experience any of these, you should contact your doctor immediately. Any severe side effects and symptoms of those are an emergency.
Safety and efficacy of intravenous glyburide on brain swelling after large hemispheric infarction:
Nausea
Gastrointestinal reactions are among the most common side effects of this medication. One of them is nausea. Depending on the heaviness of a side effect, you might have to discontinue taking the medicine. This side effect can also be caused by the combination of the mentioned medicine and other drugs. To treat nausea, start eating light foods and avoid fried and sweet foods for some time. Don’t mix cold and hot drinks. Contact your doctor if nausea doesn’t go away.
Upper Abdominal Fullness
Upper abdominal fullness can often be caused not only by the intake of the medication but by diabetes as well. This often happens because the nerves that move food through the digestive tract might be damaged, and this causes food to stay in the stomach. This is also called gastroparesis. Symptoms of upper abdominal fullness include burning, pressure, satiety, nausea, bloating, and belching. Call your doctor immediately after detecting any symptoms of upper abdominal fullness.
Heartburn
Heartburn is a burning sensation in the chest that might be caused by a variety of reasons. Heartburn is one of the side effects of the medicine, but it also might be caused by specific foods and medication. To get rid of heartburn and prevent this symptom from happening, you should maintain a healthy diet, stop smoking and drinking coffee. If heartburn doesn’t go away, contact your doctor and visit the hospital if needed.
Rash
The rash is a change of human skin that might be a side effect of medication therapy and allergies that were caused by ingredients these medications contain. Rashes can be different and may cause the skin to become chapped, dry, warm, swell, blistered, etc. This problem should not be ignored.
The rash is also one of the most common side effects of the medication. It might happen along with itching, blisters, hives, and other skin irritations. This might be a sign of allergies, so talk to your doctor immediately and discontinue the use if needed.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea is among one of the most common side effects caused by the medicine. It happens because of the glyburide mechanism of action. It works directly on the stomach, which leads to such side effects as diarrhea and nausea. This is an especially common side effect among patients who have just started taking the medicine. Diarrhea can be stopped by diet changes. To do that, you’ll need to start eating low-fiber foods.
Other Useful Tips for Using This Drug
There are several health care tips you should stick to when using Micronase:
- Control blood sugar. Glyburide, along with many other drugs, might influence your blood sugar levels. This is why it is important to take laboratory tests and visit your doctor often.
- Don’t drink alcohol. You should limit your intake of alcohol, especially during your treatment.
- Limit your time in the sun. Sometimes, this medicine makes you insensitive to the sun. This is why you should make sure you don’t get any sunburns and avoid direct sunlight when it’s possible.
- If you are about to have surgery, remember to tell your doctor about the medication you are currently using. You should also warn your doctor if your condition worsens.
Special Precautions
Before taking the medicine, talk to your pharmacist or doctor and tell them if you have any allergies to the drug’s components. If you have a medical history of such diseases as liver disease, thyroid disease, electrolyte imbalance, kidney disease, problems with your nervous system, hormonal condition, etc., warn your doctor about those.
After beginning the therapy, you should be careful while driving or doing any activity that requires clear vision. Glyburide medicine drug class belongs to the group of drugs that might influence your sight and cause blurred vision, so you should be careful when performing any machinery activity.
Special Dietary Instructions
To make sure that the drug works in the right way for you, it is better to start a healthy diet and exercise. Your doctor will give you recommendations on how to properly do it and exercise without any harm to your health. Patients who do not adhere to the prescribed diet and recommended dosage are at higher risk of experiencing unsatisfactory sugar levels and outcomes of their treatment. You might take vitamins and dietary supplements along with your prescribed medication.
What to Do if You Forget a Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is time to take another dose, skip the previous one since you should not double the dose.
What to Do if You Overdose
If someone who is experiencing overdose has trouble breathing or passes out, call an ambulance. Otherwise, call a poison center. If there is none in your country, call the ambulance. Some of the other symptoms of overdose are shaking, loss of consciousness, and sweating.
Interactions With Other Medications
Other drugs might change the mechanism of work for glyburide, so if you decide to combine different medications, it should be done carefully. To make sure that it is safe for you to take glyburide medication along with other drugs, create a list of all products and medications you use, including herbal alternatives, and show it to your doctor before beginning the treatment.
One of the main reasons why you should be careful when taking other medicine is because some drugs might impact the sugar blood levels. Before changing your treatment, consult a doctor first. In both cases, if you continue or discontinue the use of other drugs, you should check the sugar blood levels periodically to avoid severe side effects.
Such medication as bosentan might influence the Micronase treatment and lead to some side effects. If you need to continue using this medication, discuss with your doctor the next steps you need to take. If you start having symptoms of high and low blood sugar, contact your doctor immediately.
Drugs Similar to Micronase (Glyburide)
Several drugs similar to Micronase (Glyburide) belong to the class of sulfonylureas, which stimulate insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells to lower blood sugar levels.
One alternative is glipizide, available under various brand names such as Glucotrol, which shares a similar mechanism of action with glyburide. Another option is gliclazide, marketed under different brand names like Diamicron, which operates similarly to glyburide in enhancing insulin release. Additionally, glibenclamide, also known as glyburide, is another option, though it’s important to note that it’s the same active ingredient as Micronase but may be available under different brand names. These medications provide alternatives to Micronase for individuals requiring pharmacological interventions to improve insulin secretion and achieve glycemic control.
However, it’s essential to consider individual patient factors such as tolerance, risk of hypoglycemia, and potential drug interactions when selecting the most suitable medication from this class.