What Is Glipizide Used For? Plus 5 Other FAQs Answered

Glipizide is one of many oral medications available for Type 2 diabetes. It’s inexpensive, widely available, and works well on its own or in combination with other medications. And compared to other medications in its class, glipizide can be a better option for older adults.

So, what exactly is glipizide used for, and who can take it? We answer these questions and more below.

1. What is glipizide used for?

Glipizide is an oral medication approved to treat Type 2 diabetes in adults. It’s recommended along with a diabetes-friendly diet and regular exercise. It comes in immediate-release (IR) and extended-release (ER) forms.

For many people, metformin is a first-choice medication for Type 2 diabetes. But if you can’t take metformin, or if metformin isn’t working well enough, you may be prescribed glipizide.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• Knowing your options: Many oral medications can treat Type 2 diabetes, including metformin, sulfonylureas, and more. But each has different benefits and potential risks. Here’s how oral Type 2 diabetes medications compare.

• Taking charge: For many people, a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis can be overwhelming. Learn how one woman took control of managing her Type 2 diabetes.

• Learning about glipizide: If you’ve been prescribed glipizide for Type 2 diabetes, you might have some questions. Pharmacists discuss the best time to take glipizide, plus other tips for getting the most from it.

2. What is glipizide’s medication class?

Glipizide is a second-generation sulfonylurea. Sulfonylureas are the oldest class of oral diabetes medications. They’ve been used for over 50 years. Other examples of sulfonylureas include glimepiride (Amaryl) and glyburide (Glynase, Diabeta). 

Sulfonylureas like glipizide work by telling your pancreas to release insulin, which lowers the amount of glucose in your blood. Sulfonylureas also help your body use insulin more efficiently. Since sulfonylureas rely on your pancreas to make insulin, they shouldn’t be used for Type 1 diabetes.

Sulfonylureas have several common side effects, including hypoglycemia (low blood glucose), weight gain, and diarrhea. They can also interact with other medications that increase insulin levels, such as insulin and meglitinides.

3. How quickly does glipizide lower blood glucose?

Glipizide IR starts working to lower blood glucose within about 30 minutes after you take it. This is why the best time to take it is 30 minutes before breakfast (or breakfast and dinner for twice-daily dosing). Taking glipizide IR with food can slow down its absorption and delay its action. 

Compared with other sulfonylureas, glipizide IR is absorbed and starts working the fastest.

Glipizide ER takes a little longer to start working since it’s a long-acting tablet. It takes 2 to 3 hours to be absorbed by the body. Food doesn’t affect its absorption, so the best time to take glipizide ER is with the first meal of the day. Just make sure to swallow the tablet whole.

4. What foods should you avoid with glipizide?

Glipizide doesn’t interact with any particular food. But following diabetes-friendly eating habits is an important part of managing your blood glucose levels. So it may be a good idea to to limit certain foods and drinks while you’re taking glipizide, including:

• Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, pasta, or rice

• Packaged foods, such as chips or other snacks

• Sugary foods, such as baked foods, cookies, and other sweetened desserts

• Sweetened drinks, such as soda or energy drinks

• Processed meats, such as deli meat

• Unhealthy fats found in many convenience foods and fried foods, such as french fries, chicken nuggets, and wings

• Alcoholic beverages

Your diabetes care team can help you create a meal plan that you enjoy and helps you manage your diabetes. 

5. Can glipizide be crushed or cut in half?

If you have difficulty swallowing pills, you may want to know if glipizide tablets can be cut in half or crushed. The answer is it depends on the formulation of glipizide you take. If you take  glipizide IR, you can cut it or crush it with no issue. 

However, you should take glipizide ER tablets whole since they’re formulated to release the medication over a longer period of time. Don’t crush, chew, or split them. Doing so can cause you to absorb too much medication at one time.

Talk to your care team if you have difficulty swallowing your glipizide ER tablets. They can help you switch to the IR tablet.

6. How long does glipizide stay in your system?

Compared to other sulfonylureas available in the U.S., glipizide stays in the body for the shortest amount of time. This can make it a better option for older adults. For most people, the body takes 2 to 4 hours to remove half of the medication (called its half-life). This can take longer if you have liver or kidney problems or take medications that interact with glipizide.

In general, it takes about 4 to 5 half-lives to clear most of a medication. So most glipizide should be gone from your system after 20 hours. The glipizide inside the ER form is removed at a similar rate. But since the medication is released more slowly, its effects can last longer.

Certain medications, such as itraconazole (Sporanox) or fluconazole (Diflucan), can slow how fast your liver processes glipizide. This can result in glipizide staying in your system longer, causing it to build up. Certain antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin, can have a similar effect.

Always share a complete medication list with your care team to check for potential interactions. If needed, they may lower your glipizide dose or have you monitor your blood glucose more closely.

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Written by:

Sandy P. Bonfin, PharmD, BCPS

Sandy Bonfin has 9 years of experience as a pharmacist and has been working as a clinical pharmacist in a hospital in Florida for the past 7 years after a short stint as a mail-order retail pharmacist. Sandy has worked in pediatric medicine, emergency medicine, internal medicine, and intensive care.

Edited by:

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD, is the director of pharmacy content for GoodRx. She has over a decade of experience as a pharmacist and has worked in clinical, academic, and administrative roles.

Reviewed by:

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP, is a board-certified ambulatory care clinical pharmacist. In his early career, he provided direct patient care in a variety of settings, including hospital and community pharmacies, and in a primary care clinic as a clinical pharmacist.

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