Glimepiride
Glimepiride is a once-daily tablet for type 2 diabetes that helps the pancreas release insulin; it is sold as Amaryl in 1mg, 2mg and 4mg strengths.
A tablet for type 2 diabetes
Glimepiride belongs to the sulfonylureas, an older family of diabetes tablets. It is used for type 2 diabetes alongside diet and exercise, and sometimes with other diabetes medicines, when those steps alone do not keep blood sugar in range. Blood sugar that stays high over years is what leads to the eye, kidney, nerve and heart problems linked with diabetes, which is why tablets like this one are taken long term. Glimepiride works in people whose pancreas still makes insulin of its own, so it is not a treatment for type 1 diabetes or for diabetic ketoacidosis (a dangerous build-up of acid when blood sugar runs very high). The glimepiride stocked here is Amaryl, a plain tablet in 1mg, 2mg and 4mg.
How it lowers blood sugar
After a meal the pancreas releases insulin, the hormone that moves glucose (sugar) out of the blood and into the cells that use it for fuel. Glimepiride signals the beta cells in the pancreas to release more insulin, and helps the body use its own insulin more efficiently, so levels fall between and after meals. In someone whose pancreas has stopped making insulin, the tablet has nothing to work with.
Taking glimepiride
Take one tablet once a day with breakfast or the first main meal, at about the same time each morning. Many people begin on 1mg, and the strength is stepped up later according to blood and urine sugar readings. Glimepiride keeps blood sugar down rather than curing diabetes, so it carries on every day, good days included.
Low blood sugar and other side effects
Hypoglycaemia — blood sugar dropping too low — is the effect to know first. Sweating, shakiness, hunger, a pounding heartbeat, dizziness, blurred vision or confusion can all signal it. Nausea, headache, dizziness and weight gain are the other effects people notice most. A rash, itching or swelling of the face, lips or throat points to a serious allergic reaction and needs urgent treatment. Yellowing of the skin or eyes, unusual bruising or bleeding, or a sore throat with fever have been reported with glimepiride.
Alcohol, painkillers and other medicines
Drinking alcohol makes blood sugar less predictable and a low more likely. Painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen can change how glimepiride acts, and so can some blood pressure tablets and other diabetes medicines. For the wider range of diabetes treatments, see the diabetes category.
Sources
- Glimepiride: MedlinePlus Drug Information — National Library of Medicine
- Glimepiride 3 mg tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc) | 10744 — UK Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC)
Where can I buy Glimepiride in Hong Kong?
You can order glimepiride online with delivery to Hong Kong. The range includes generic Amaryl, 1mg, 2mg and 4mg tablets also sold as Glimepiride tablets. Payment is by Visa, Mastercard or American Express on a secure, encrypted payment page, or by Bitcoin or Ethereum.
How are Glimepiride prices shown?
It depends on the product, strength and pack size. The glimepiride product listed here shows its current prices in HKD or the currency you select.
Do I need a prescription to order Glimepiride?
PockDose does not ask you to upload a prescription when you order glimepiride. See the ordering FAQ for details.
What brand names does glimepiride have?
Amaryl is a brand name of glimepiride, which is also sold as Solosa. Here, glimepiride can be bought online as generic Amaryl. These are generics, not the original brand.
Can I drink alcohol with glimepiride?
Alcohol can pull blood sugar down and make it harder to keep steady, so a low is more likely on days you drink. The risk grows if you drink without eating or have several drinks in one evening. Beer, wine and spirits have the same effect.
Is glimepiride the same as Amaryl?
Glimepiride is the ingredient and Amaryl is the name these tablets are best known under. The Amaryl listing here is glimepiride in 1mg, 2mg and 4mg tablets, so choosing between the names comes down to the listing and the strength you need.
Does glimepiride cause weight gain?
Weight gain is one of the recognised effects of glimepiride and other sulfonylureas, and it is usually modest. It comes partly from the way insulin encourages the body to store energy rather than burn it.
Can I stop taking glimepiride when my blood sugar is normal?
No. Steady readings mean the tablet is doing its job, not that diabetes has gone. Glimepiride controls blood sugar rather than curing it, so there is no course to finish; levels climb back up when it stops.
Can glimepiride be taken with metformin?
Yes. The two are often used together in type 2 diabetes because they lower blood sugar in different ways: glimepiride increases insulin release from the pancreas, while metformin works mainly on the liver and on the body's response to insulin. Combining glucose-lowering medicines makes low blood sugar more likely than either one alone.