Key takeaways
Glipizide and metformin are both used to treat type 2 diabetes, but they have some differences between them. Glipizide/metformin is a combination of glipizide which tells your pancreas to release insulin, and metformin, which lowers the amount of sugar your body makes and absorbs. Glipizide/metformin must be taken with meals to avoid low blood sugar, while metformin is best taken with food to prevent stomach upset. Glipizide/metformin can cause more side effects like low blood sugar and diarrhea. Low blood sugar is less likely when taking metformin as a single medication. Lactic acidosis is a serious condition that can occur in people taking these medications. Unlike the combination medication, metformin is available in both short-acting and long-acting forms.
