📋 Indications & Clinical Dosage
*Type 2 diabetes mellitus:*
Adult: Initially 1 mg daily, adjusted according to response, then increased in steps of 1 mg every1-2 weeks, to be taken shortly before or with first main meal, max. dose 6 mg per day.
Children: Not recommended.
⛔ Contraindications
Porphyria, Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, diabetic ketoacidosis, diabetic pre-coma or coma, hypersensitivity to glimepiride, serious renal or hepatic dysfunction, dialysis patients.
⚠️ Precautions & Warnings
Regular monitoring of glucose levels in blood and urine, hypoglycaemia, patients with autonomic neuropathy or taking beta blockers, clonidine, reserpine, guanethidine or other sympatholytic drugs, temporary change over to insulin in exceptional stress situations (e.g. trauma, surgery, infections with fever),hepatitis, liver failure.
🔄 Drug Interactions
Insulin, oral anti diabetics, ACE-inhibitors, allopurinol, anabolic steroids and male sex hormones.
probenecid, quinolones, salicylates, sulfinpyrazone, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, tritoqualine, trofosfamide, acetazolamide, barbiturates, corticosteroids, diazoxide, diuretics, epinephrine and other sympathornimetic agents, glucagon, laxatives, nicotinic acid (in high doses), oestrogens. phenothiazines, phenytoin, rifampicin, thyroid hormones, H2-receptor antagonists, clonidine,
reserpine, acute and chronic alcohol intake.
⚠️ Adverse Reactions / Side Effects
Hyponatraemia, hypoglycaemia, thrombocytopenia, haemolyticanaemia.
🤰 Pregnancy & Lactation Safety
Pregnancy Risk:
Contraindicated
Lactation / Breastfeeding:
Not recommended.
📚 Official Regulatory & Clinical References
- Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP): Drug Registration, S.R.O. Price Gazettes & National Essential Medicines List (NEML).
- World Health Organization (WHO): Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology (ATC/DDD Index).
- Formulary Standards: British National Formulary (BNF) & Pakistan National Formulary (PNF) guidelines.