Oral Diabetes Medicines That Can Cause Low Blood Sugar

Topic Overview

Sulfonylureas help the pancreas make and/or release insulin.

Chlorpropamide (Diabinese)
Glimepiride (Amaryl)
Glipizide (Glucotrol)
Glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase, Micronase)
Tolbutamide
Tolazamide

Meglitinides help the pancreas make insulin.

Nateglinide (Starlix).
Repaglinide (Prandin).

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors lower your blood sugar by slowing the digestion of carbohydrates.

Acarbose (Precose)
Miglitol (Glyset)

You are less likely to develop low blood sugar levels if you are taking:

DPP-4 inhibitors such as sitagliptin (Januvia) or saxagliptin (Onglyza) help the body make and/or release insulin.
Metformin (Glucophage).
Thiazolidinediones such as pioglitazone (Actos) or rosiglitazone (Avandia).

Related Information

Credits

By	Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Jennifer Hone, MD - Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Last Revised	July 1, 2011

By:

Healthwise Staff

Last Revised: July 1, 2011

Medical Review:

E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Jennifer Hone, MD - Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism

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