What is the most important information I should know about glimepiride and pioglitazone?
You should not use this medicine if you have severe or uncontrolled heart failure, active bladder cancer, or diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment).
This medicine can cause or worsen congestive heart failure. Call your doctor at once if you have shortness of breath (even with mild exertion), swelling, or rapid weight gain.
What is glimepiride and pioglitazone?
Glimepiride and pioglitazone is a combination of two oral diabetes medicines that help control blood sugar levels.
Glimepiride and pioglitazone is a combination medicine used together with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This medicine is not for treating type 1 diabetes.
Glimepiride and pioglitazone may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my health care provider before taking glimepiride and pioglitazone?
You should not use this medicine if you are allergic to glimepiride, pioglitazone, or sulfa drugs, or if you have:
- severe or advanced heart failure;
- active bladder cancer; or
- diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment).
Pioglitazone may increase your risk of serious heart problems. However, not treating your diabetes can damage your heart and other organs. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking glimepiride and pioglitazone.
Tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- congestive heart failure or heart disease;
- fluid retention;
- bladder cancer;
- liver disease;
- kidney disease;
- a genetic enzyme deficiency called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency;
- eye problems caused by diabetes; or
- a heart attack or stroke.
This medication may increase your risk of developing bladder cancer. Talk with your doctor about your specific risk.
Follow your doctor's instructions about using this medicine if you are pregnant or you become pregnant. Controlling diabetes is very important during pregnancy, and having high blood sugar may cause complications in both the mother and the baby. However, you may need to stop taking glimepiride and pioglitazone for a short time just before your due date.
Women may be more likely to have a broken bone while taking glimepiride and pioglitazone. Talk with your doctor about ways to keep your bones healthy.
Pioglitazone may cause you to ovulate and get pregnant, even if you are premenopausal or do not have regular periods. Talk with your doctor about the need for birth control.
It may not be safe to breastfeed while using this medicine. Ask your doctor about any risk.
How should I take glimepiride and pioglitazone?
Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Use the medicine exactly as directed.
Take glimepiride and pioglitazone with your first meal of the day.
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can happen to everyone who has diabetes. Symptoms include headache, hunger, sweating, irritability, dizziness, nausea, and feeling shaky. To quickly treat low blood sugar, always keep a fast-acting source of sugar with you such as fruit juice, hard candy, crackers, raisins, or non-diet soda.
Your doctor can prescribe a glucagon emergency injection kit to use in case you have severe hypoglycemia and cannot eat or drink. Be sure your family and close friends know how to give you this injection in an emergency.
Also watch for signs of high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) such as increased thirst or urination, blurred vision, headache, and tiredness.
Blood sugar levels can be affected by stress, illness, surgery, exercise, alcohol use, or skipping meals. Ask your doctor before changing your dose or medication schedule.
Glimepiride and pioglitazone is only part of a treatment program that may also include diet, exercise, weight control, blood sugar testing, vision exams, and special medical care. Follow your doctor's instructions very closely.
Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light. Keep the bottle tightly closed when not in use.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Skip the missed dose and use your next dose at the regular time. Do not use two doses at one time.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. A glimepiride and pioglitazone overdose can cause life-threatening hypoglycemia. Symptoms of severe hypoglycemia include extreme weakness, nausea, tremors, sweating, confusion, trouble speaking, fast heartbeats, or seizure.
What should I avoid while taking glimepiride and pioglitazone?
Avoid alcohol. It lowers blood sugar and may interfere with your diabetes treatment.
This medicine could make you sunburn more easily. Avoid sunlight or tanning beds. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) when you are outdoors.
What are the possible side effects of glimepiride and pioglitazone?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction (hives, difficult breathing, swelling in your face or throat) or a severe skin reaction (fever, sore throat, burning eyes, skin pain, red or purple skin rash with blistering and peeling).
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- pink or red urine, painful or difficult urination, new or worsening urge to urinate;
- changes in your vision;
- sudden unusual pain in your hand, arm, or foot;
-
liver problems --upper stomach pain, vomiting, tiredness, loss of appetite, dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
-
symptoms of heart failure --shortness of breath (even while lying down), swelling in your legs or feet, rapid weight gain.
Common side effects may include:
- headache;
- muscle pain;
- nausea, diarrhea; or
- cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sinus pain, sneezing, sore throat.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect glimepiride and pioglitazone?
Tell your doctor if you use insulin. Taking glimepiride and pioglitazone while you are using insulin may increase your risk of serious heart problems.
Glimepiride and pioglitazone may not work as well when you use other medicines at the same time. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed here. Tell your doctor about all medicines you start or stop using.
Where can I get more information?
Your pharmacist can provide more information about glimepiride and pioglitazone.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
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