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Compare Januvia vs. Amaryl

Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, warnings, and more.

Key takeaways

Januvia (sitagliptin) and Amaryl (glimepiride) are both medications used to treat type 2 diabetes, but they belong to different drug classes and work in different ways. Januvia is a DPP-4 inhibitor that helps increase insulin levels and decrease sugar production in your body, while Amaryl is a sulfonylurea that stimulates your pancreas to release more insulin. Januvia is typically taken once daily and does not usually affect body weight, whereas Amaryl is also taken once daily but with your first main meal and can cause weight gain. Common side effects of Januvia include runny nose and sore throat, while Amaryl can cause low blood sugar and headaches. Additionally, Januvia is not known to cause severe low blood sugar as often as Amaryl. Both medications are available by prescription only, but Amaryl is available in a generic form, which can be more cost-effective.

  • Januvia (sitagliptin)
    Glimepiride (Amaryl)
  • Januvia (sitagliptin)
    Glimepiride (Amaryl)

  • Summary of Januvia vs. Amaryl

    Summary for DDP-4 inhibitor
    Prescription only

    Januvia (sitagliptin) is a prescription medication that helps lower blood sugar in adults with Type 2 diabetes. It works best when you also follow a balanced diet and exercise regularly. It belongs to the drug class called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, or gliptins. Januvia (sitagliptin) comes as a tablet you take by mouth once a day. Side effects include stuffy or runny nose and headache. Januvia (sitagliptin) is a brand-name medication only; the generic version isn't available yet.

    Summary for Sulfonylurea
    Prescription only

    Glimepiride (Amaryl) is a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes along with healthy diet and exercise. It's part of the medication class called sulfonylureas. This medication is taken by mouth, typically once daily with the first main meal. Some common side effects of glimepiride (Amaryl) include headaches and low blood sugar. Like other medications in its class, it can also cause weight gain. Glimepiride (Amaryl) is available as both a brand name (Amaryl) and generic tablet.

  • Indications of Januvia vs. Amaryl

    Indications for
    •Type 2 diabetes in adults
    Indications for
    •Type 2 diabetes in adults

  • Pros and Cons of Januvia vs. Amaryl

    Pros and Const for DDP-4 inhibitor
    Pros
    •Taken once a day
    •Not likely to affect your body weight
    Cons
    •Not for people with Type 1 diabetes
    •Possible risk of severe joint pain
    Pros and Const for Sulfonylurea
    Pros
    •Available as a lower-cost generic medication
    •Only taken once a day
    •Taken by mouth
    Cons
    •Need to take with the biggest meal of the day
    •More likely to cause weight gain compared to some other medications for diabetes
    •Might cause low blood sugar in breastfed babies and people ages 65 years and older

  • Common Side Effects of Januvia vs. Amaryl

    Common Side Effects for
    •Runny or stuffy nose and other symptoms of the common cold (5%)
    Common Side Effects for
    •Shakiness, anxiety, and other symptoms of low blood sugar levels (up to 20%)
    •Headache (8%)
    •Fever, cough, and other flu-like symptoms (5%)
    •Nausea (5%)
    •Dizziness (5%)

  • Warnings of Januvia vs. Amaryl

    Common Side Effects for
    •Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
    •Risk of heart failure
    •Sudden kidney problems
    •Low blood sugar when taken with other diabetes medications
    •Serious allergic reactions
    •Joint pain
    •Severe skin reactions
    Common Side Effects for
    •Low blood sugar
    •Serious allergic reactions
    •Risk of low red blood cell count (hemolytic anemia)
    •Possible risk of serious heart problems

  • Prices with our coupons for Januvia vs. Amaryl

    Learn more about Januvia
    Learn more about Glimepiride

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