What Pharmacists Say About When to Take Glipizide (Plus 4 More Tips)

In recent years, there have been many advancements in diabetes care. There are also many upcoming medication and medical device advancements on the horizon. And yet, older medications like glipizide are still recommended and widely used treatments for Type 2 diabetes. 

New or old, the right diabetes medication can vary from person to person. The best choices are based on factors like blood glucose (sugar) levels, affordability, and lifestyle habits. If you or a loved one are starting glipizide as your diabetes medication, there are a few things to keep in mind.

What is glipizide?

Glipizide is an oral medication used to treat Type 2 diabetes in adults. It’s a type of sulfonylurea, and it helps lower blood glucose and hemoglobin A1C. An A1C test reflects your average blood glucose readings over the past 2 to 3 months. Sulfonylureas work by kickstarting your pancreas to release more insulin.

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There are two formulations of glipizide, immediate-release (IR) tablets and extended-release (ER) tablets (Glucotrol XL). Depending on the formulation, glipizide comes in 2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg doses. Your healthcare provider can work with you to choose the best formulation and dose for you.

Note: Glipizide should not be taken by people living with Type 1 diabetes.

5 tips for taking glipizide

Glipizide is commonly prescribed for Type 2 diabetes. It can be taken alone or in combination with other diabetes medications, and it’s been around for decades. Pharmacists have grown very familiar with its use over the years. 

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Here are some tips that a pharmacist might share if you or a loved one are new to taking glipizide. 

1. What time should I take glipizide?

The best time to take glipizide depends on how many times you take glipizide every day. 

If you take glipizide once per day, take the tablet before your first main meal of the day. This is usually the case with glipizide ER or if you take less than 15 mg of glipizide per day.

If you take more than 15 mg per day, your healthcare provider will likely recommend splitting up your dosage into twice daily dosing. In this case, take your first tablet before your first meal and your second tablet before your last meal of the day. For many people, this is breakfast and dinner. Spacing out the two doses can help improve effectiveness and prevent side effects. 

2. Should I take glipizide with food?

Yes. It’s important to take glipizide, or any other sulfonylurea, with food. That’s because glipizide is designed to manage blood glucose spikes from your meals. 

After you take your glipizide dose, your pancreas releases insulin within about 30 minutes — this leads to blood glucose lowering. So if you take glipizide on an empty stomach, there’s a risk of your blood glucose getting too low (also called hypoglycemia). You should not take glipizide on an empty stomach. Taking glipizide 30 minutes before a meal helps prevent hypoglycemia, which is blood glucose below 70 mg/dL. 

3. Does glipizide interact with any medications? 

Yes. A few medications interact with glipizide. Certain medications can make your blood glucose higher, making it harder for glipizide to do its job. Some of these medications include:

• Corticosteroids, like prednisone and dexamethasone

• Atypical antipsychotics, like clozapine (Clozaril) and olanzapine (Zyprexa)

• Hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide)

On the other hand, taking glipizide with the following medications can raise the risk for hypoglycemia:

• Other diabetes medications, like insulin or repaglinide

• Antifungal medications, like fluconazole (Diflucan) or miconazole

• Fluoroquinolone antibiotics, like ciprofloxacin (Cipro) or levofloxacin

• Beta blockers, like metoprolol (Toprol XL, Lopressor) or atenolol (Tenormin)

Your healthcare provider may adjust your glipizide dose if you’re planning to take it with any of the medications above. It’s also important to check your blood glucose regularly and understand the ranges for high blood glucose versus low blood glucose. 

In addition to medications, you should also avoid drinking alcohol with glipizide, especially when you first start the medication or change your dose. The combination can also cause low blood glucose.

4. What happens if I miss my dose of glipizide?

If you miss your usual dose of glipizide, you can take it before your next meal. This is because it’s important to always pair it with food. But if it’s almost time for your next dose, don’t double up. You can skip the missed dose altogether. 

If you skip the meal that you usually pair with glipizide, skip the dose of glipizide too. It’s important to avoid taking glipizide on an empty stomach. 

However, missing too many doses isn’t ideal. If you find yourself frequently missing your glipizide doses, talk to your healthcare provider, pharmacist, or dietitian about tips for setting up a regular eating and medication schedule.

5. What can I do if I experience side effects from glipizide?

The most common side effect of sulfonylureas is hypoglycemia, especially for adults ages 65 years and older. But among the sulfonylureas, glipizide is likely the safest option for older adults. The other sulfonylureas, like glyburide and glimepiride, are more likely to cause hypoglycemia because they take longer to leave the body.

Hypoglycemia can look like any of these symptoms:

• Feeling hungry

• Feeling shaky

• Sweating

• Having a fast heart beat

• Feeling drowsy or dizzy

• Feeling weak

Taking glipizide with food can help prevent these symptoms from making an appearance. But if you still experience hypoglycemia after taking glipizide with a meal, make sure to alert your healthcare provider.

Glipizide can also affect body weight. Sulfonylureas help your body release more insulin — insulin helps convert extra sugar into fat. That’s why people taking sulfonylureas can potentially gain weight when they first start taking them. To help maintain a healthy weight, it’s important to combine glipizide with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Tips on how to save money with your glipizide prescription

There are ways to save on glipizide, which is available as a generic medication. GoodRx can help you save over 60% off the average retail price. Generic glipizide at certain pharmacies is less than $6 with a free GoodRx discount.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Hindu Rao, PharmD, APh, BCACP

Hindu Rao, PharmD, APh, BCACP is a clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice at Chapman University School of Pharmacy and a clinical pharmacist at Providence Medical Foundation. She specializes in chronic disease management and has her board certification in ambulatory care.

Edited by:

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS, is a licensed pharmacist in Arizona, Colorado, and Rhode Island. He has worked in the pharmacy industry for more than 10 years and currently serves as a pharmacy editor for GoodRx.

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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