Why is this medication prescribed?
Glimepiride is an oral blood sugar-lowering drug in a class of medicines called sulfonylureas, used for controlling diabetes.
This medication is related to other sulfonylureas including glyburide (Micronase® and Diabeta®), glipizide (Glucotrol®), tolbutamide (Orinase®) and tolazamide (Tolinase®).
Glimepiride is used in type II diabetes, the most common type of diabetes that is found in 90% of patients with diabetes. In type II diabetes, insulin usually is not necessary to control the blood sugar. Instead, diet and oral medications often are sufficient. Intolerance to sugar that results in elevated blood sugar is caused by reduced insulin secretion by the pancreas and resistance to insulin's effects by the body's cells. Glimepiride works by lowering the sugar level in the blood by stimulating insulin to be secreted from the pancreas into the blood. Insulin causes sugar to leave the blood and enter cells throughout the body.
Dosage and using this medicine
What special precautions should I follow?
What should I do if I forget a dose?
What side effects can this medication cause?
What storage conditions are needed for this medicine?
In case of an emergency/overdose