glipizide / metformin
Glipizide/metformin combines two diabetes medications into one tablet: glipizide (a sulfonylurea) and metformin (a biguanide). It's approved to treat Type 2 diabetes in adults along with diet and exercise. This medication is typically taken by mouth once or twice a day. Some common side effects of glipizide/metformin can include diarrhea and headache; it isn't likely to cause weight gain or weight loss.
What is Glipizide/metformin?
What is Glipizide/metformin used for?
How Glipizide/metformin works
Glipizide/metformin contains two medications that lower blood sugar.
- Glipizide is a sulfonylurea that tells your pancreas to release insulin.
- Metformin is a biguanide, which lowers the amount of sugar your body makes and absorbs from food. It also improves your body's response to insulin.
Drug facts
| Common Brands | Metaglip |
|---|---|
| Drug Class | Sulfonylurea / Biguanide |
| Controlled Substance Classification | Not a controlled medication |
| Generic Status | Lower-cost generic available |
| Availability | Prescription only |
Side effects of Glipizide/metformin
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Diarrhea (18%)
- Headache (13%)
- Cold or flu infection (10%)
- Low blood sugar levels (9%)
- Muscle pain (8%)
- Nausea, vomiting (8%)
- Stomach pain (6%)
- Dizziness (5%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Urinary tract infection
- Liver problems
Glipizide/metformin serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Lactic acidosis: muscle pain, severe stomach pain, shallow breathing, tiredness or weakness, change in heartbeat
- Dangerously low blood sugar levels: feeling hungry, fast heartbeat, shakiness, anxiety, sweating, tingling, dizziness, weakness, drowsiness, confusion, coma
The following Glipizide/metformin side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
More common
blurred vision
chills
cold sweats
coma
confusion
cool pale skin
dizziness
fast heartbeat
headache
increased hunger
nervousness
nightmares
seizures
shakiness
slurred speech
unusual tiredness or weakness
Less common
Bladder pain
bloody or cloudy urine
difficult, burning, or painful urination
frequent urge to urinate
lower back or side pain
pounding in the ears
slow heartbeat
Rare
Abdominal discomfort
decreased appetite
fainting spells
fast, shallow breathing
general feeling of discomfort
muscle pain or cramping
shortness of breath
sleepiness
Symptoms of Overdose
Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:
Abdominal discomfort
behavior change, similar to drunkenness
blurred vision
cold sweats
coma
confusion
cool, pale skin
decreased appetite
difficulty in concentrating
drowsiness
excessive hunger
fast heartbeat
fast, shallow breathing
general feeling of discomfort
headache
muscle pain or cramping
nervousness
nightmares
restless sleep
seizures
shakiness
slurred speech
unusual sleepiness
unusual tiredness or weakness
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Pros and cons of Glipizide/metformin
Pros
- Taken by mouth
- Combination medication, so more convenient to take
- Available as a lower-cost generic
Cons
- Need to take with meals
- Can't take during pregnancy
- Not an option for children
Pharmacist tips for Glipizide/metformin
- Take glipizide/metformin with a meal. Glipizide works quickly to tell your body to release insulin to lower your blood sugar levels. If you take glipizide/metformin without eating, you're at higher risk for having blood sugar level that's dangerously low.
- Glipizide/metformin can cause diarrhea. Typically, this is more common when you first start treatment and gets better over time. In the meantime, you can lower the risk of diarrhea by avoiding fatty or fried foods.
- Make sure you check your blood sugar as directed by your prescriber, especially when you first start treatment. This will help your diabetes specialist adjust your dose and prevent low blood sugar.
- It's important to drink fluids and stay hydrated when you're taking glipizide/metformin. Dehydration can raise the risk of a severe side effect called lactic acidosis.
- Give your prescriber and pharmacist a full list of the medications that you take so they can check for drug interactions. Metformin and glipizide can interact with many medications and raise the risk of unpleasant side effects.
Risks and warnings for Glipizide/metformin
Glipizide/metformin can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Lactic acidosis
- Risk factors: Kidney problems | Liver problems | Heart problems | Age 65 or greater | Heavy alcohol use | Using contrast dye | Conditions that lower your oxygen levels (e.g., heart failure) | Taking certain medications (e.g., topiramate (Topamax))
Glipizide/metformin can, on rare occasions, cause a condition called lactic acidosis (too much lactic acid in your blood). If left untreated, this condition can lead to other health problems, including organ failure, which can be deadly. Discuss with your primary care provider about your medical history before starting glipizide/metformin and any planned procedures during treatment. They can check for your risk for lactic acidosis. Get medical attention right away if you experience trouble breathing, irregular heartbeat, muscle pain, belly pain, or feeling very tired or dizzy. These can be signs that you have too much lactic acid in your blood.
Possible risk of serious heart problems
A study of tolbutamide (a medication similar to glipizide in glipizide/metformin) suggests that taking sulfonylureas might raise the risk of death due to heart problems. More research is needed in this area for glipizide/metformin. Let your provider know right away if you experience any symptoms of heart attack (chest pain, sweating, nausea, or dizziness) or heart failure (trouble breathing, tiredness, swelling in your body, or sudden weight gain). Your healthcare team might recommend that you go to the hospital and that you stop taking glipizide/metformin.
Low blood sugar levels
- Risk factors: Missing meals or having inconsistent meal times | Drinking alcohol | Intense or long periods of exercise | Taking medications that lower blood sugar | Older adults | Kidney or liver problems
Glipizide/metformin can cause your blood sugar levels to drop to dangerously low levels. Your risk is higher if you're taking other blood sugar medications, such as insulin, or if you don't eat after taking your dose of glipizide/metformin. When you first start glipizide/metformin, your provider might ask you to check your blood sugar more often to make sure it doesn't drop too much. Symptoms of low blood sugar levels include feeling shaky, being nervous or anxious, fast heartbeat, sweating or body chills, confusion, and feeling very hungry.
Make sure you and your family know how to treat low blood sugar and when they need to call 911. It's best to keep emergency fast-acting sugars with you at all times, in case you need to bring your blood sugar back up to a safer range.
Low vitamin B12 levels
- Risk factors: Long-term use of metformin | Lower than average calcium or vitamin B12 intake or absorption
Taking glipizide/metformin for a long period of time can cause your vitamin B12 levels to drop. Having low vitamin B12 levels can lead to a higher risk of anemia. Your provider will check your vitamin B12 levels through blood work every 2 to 3 years. If needed, your provider might recommend that you take vitamin B12 supplementation. Let your provider know if you frequently have low energy, dizziness, muscle problems, or tingling or numbness in your hands and feet.
Glipizide/metformin dosage
Interactions between Glipizide/metformin and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Acetrizoic Acid
- Diatrizoate
- Ethiodized Oil
- Iobenzamic Acid
- Iobitridol
- Iocarmic Acid
- Iocetamic Acid
- Iodamide
- Iodipamide
- Iodixanol
- Iodohippuric Acid
- Iodopyracet
- Iodoxamic Acid
- Ioglicic Acid
- Ioglycamic Acid
- Iohexol
- Iomeprol
- Iopamidol
- Iopanoic Acid
- Iopentol
- Iophendylate
- Iopromide
- Iopronic Acid
- Ioseric Acid
- Iosimide
- Iotasul
- Iothalamate
- Iotrolan
- Iotroxic Acid
- Ioxaglate
- Ioxitalamic Acid
- Ipodate
- Metrizamide
- Metrizoic Acid
- Tyropanoate Sodium
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Acarbose
- Aspirin
- Balofloxacin
- Besifloxacin
- Bupropion
- Capmatinib
- Ceritinib
- Chloroquine
- Ciprofloxacin
- Dasabuvir
- Desmopressin
- Disopyramide
- Dofetilide
- Dolutegravir
- Dulaglutide
- Enoxacin
- Entacapone
- Fleroxacin
- Flumequine
- Gatifloxacin
- Gemifloxacin
- Hydroxychloroquine
- Ioversol
- Lanreotide
- Levofloxacin
- Lixisenatide
- Lomefloxacin
- Metreleptin
- Moxifloxacin
- Nadifloxacin
- Norfloxacin
- Octreotide
- Ofloxacin
- Ombitasvir
- Paritaprevir
- Pasireotide
- Pazufloxacin
- Pefloxacin
- Pioglitazone
- Porfimer
- Prulifloxacin
- Ritonavir
- Rufloxacin
- Sitagliptin
- Sparfloxacin
- Tafenoquine
- Thioctic Acid
- Tosufloxacin
- Vandetanib
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Acebutolol
- Aminolevulinic Acid
- Atenolol
- Betaxolol
- Bisoprolol
- Bitter Melon
- Carteolol
- Carvedilol
- Celiprolol
- Cimetidine
- Clarithromycin
- Colesevelam
- Cyclosporine
- Esmolol
- Fenugreek
- Furazolidone
- Gemfibrozil
- Glucomannan
- Guar Gum
- Iproniazid
- Isocarboxazid
- Labetalol
- Levobunolol
- Linezolid
- Methylene Blue
- Metipranolol
- Metoprolol
- Moclobemide
- Nadolol
- Nebivolol
- Nialamide
- Oxprenolol
- Patiromer
- Penbutolol
- Phenelzine
- Pindolol
- Practolol
- Procarbazine
- Propranolol
- Psyllium
- Ranitidine
- Ranolazine
- Rasagiline
- Rifampin
- Safinamide
- Saxagliptin
- Selegiline
- Sotalol
- Timolol
- Tranylcypromine
- Verapamil
- Voriconazole
How much does Glipizide/metformin cost?
$11.02
Glipizide/metformin contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Glipizide/metformin will not be safe for you to take.
- Severe kidney problems
- Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and other forms of metabolic acidosis
What are alternatives to Glipizide/metformin?
Glipizide/metformin images
