repaglinide
Repaglinide is an oral tablet taken in addition to diet and exercise to control blood sugar in adults with Type 2 diabetes. It belongs to the drug class called meglitinide, and works similar to sulfonylureas. The usual dosing is to take 0.5 mg to 4 mg by mouth before each meal. Potential warnings and side effects include low blood sugar, headache, and diarrhea. The brand name Prandin has been discontinued, but this medication is still available as a generic.
What is Repaglinide?
What is Repaglinide used for?
How Repaglinide works
Repaglinide is a meglitinide. It works by causing the pancreas to release more insulin, a hormone that helps your body use sugar as energy. This insulin release helps lower the amount of sugar in your blood.
Drug facts
Side effects of Repaglinide
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
- Low blood sugar (31%)
- Upper respiratory infection (16%)
- Headache (11%)
- Sinus infection (6%)
- Joint pain (6%)
- Nausea (5%)
- Diarrhea (5%)
- Back pain (5%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Chest pain
- Constipation
- Vomiting
- Indigestion
- Weight gain
Repaglinide serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Low blood sugar: shakiness, fast heartbeat, sweating, dizziness, anxiety, confusion, feeling very hungry
- Serious allergic reaction: swelling in the face, tongue, or throat; trouble breathing
More on Repaglinide side effects
The following Repaglinide 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
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
Incidence not known
Back, leg, or stomach pains
bleeding gums
blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
clay-colored stools
darkened urine
difficulty with breathing
general body swelling
general tiredness and weakness
indigestion
itching or rash
joint or muscle pain
light-colored stools
loss of appetite
nosebleeds
pains in the side, or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back
pale skin
red skin lesions, often with a purple center
red, irritated eyes
sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips
unpleasant breath odor
upper right abdominal or stomach pain
vomiting
vomiting of blood
yellow eyes or skin
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:
More common
Body aches or pain
difficulty with moving
ear congestion
loss of voice
muscle stiffness
pain in the joints
pain or tenderness around the eyes and cheekbones
stuffy or runny nose
tightness of the chest
Less common
Acid or sour stomach
belching
burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
cough producing mucus
indigestion
Incidence not known
Hair loss or thinning of the hair
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 Repaglinide
Pros
- Can quickly lower blood sugar during meal times
- Comes as an oral tablet taken by mouth
- Available as a lower-cost generic
Cons
- Has a risk of low blood sugar
- Can cause some weight gain
- Can interact with many medications
Pharmacist tips for Repaglinide
- Make sure to take your dose of repaglinide within 30 minutes before each meal. If you skip a meal, skip your dose to prevent low blood sugar.
- Repaglinide works best if you maintain a balanced diet and get plenty of exercise.
- Repaglinide can put you at risk of having low blood sugar. Symptoms include shakiness, fast heartbeat, sweating, and dizziness. Make sure you know how to treat low blood sugar (less than 70 mg/dL) and when you need to call 911.
- Many medications interact with repaglinide. Tell your care team about all prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, and supplements you're taking.
- Avoid alcohol when you're taking repaglinide. Drinking alcohol with this medication can cause dangerously low blood sugar.
- Check your blood sugar regularly at home and keep a log to share with your prescriber at your check-ups so they can see how well repaglinide is working for you.
Common questions about Repaglinide
No. Repaglinide belongs to a group of medications called meglitinides, or glinides. But it works similarly to sulfonylureas since both groups of medications stimulate the pancreas to release insulin to help lower blood sugar levels.
Taking repaglinide and glimepiride (Amaryl) together is usually not recommended, as both work similarly and can raise the risk of low blood sugar. Your healthcare professional can work with you to come up with a safe treatment plan for your diabetes.
Repaglinide works quickly, within 30 to 60 minutes after you take a dose. That's why it should be taken within 30 minutes before meals.
You should take repaglinide within 30 minutes before each meal. If you skip a meal, you should also skip your dose of repaglinide to prevent your blood sugar dropping too low.
Yes. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is the most common side effect of repaglinide. This is because it causes your pancreas to release insulin, which removes sugar from your blood. Make sure you know the signs and symptoms of low blood sugar and carry fast-acting sugar with you at all times. Your risk of low blood sugar is higher if you miss meals, so try to stick to a consistent meal schedule.
Yes, weight gain is a possible side effect of repaglinide. People taking this medication have gained about 2 kg (4.4 lbs) in 16 weeks. If weight gain is concerning for you, talk to your prescriber about ways to maintain a healthy weight.
Based on the half-life of repaglinide, most of the medication leaves your system within 4 to 5 hours. It could take longer if you have liver problems or if you're taking medications that interact with repaglinide.
No. Repaglinide isn't an insulin. But it helps your pancreas release more insulin to help lower your blood sugar.
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Risks and warnings for Repaglinide
Repaglinide 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.
Low blood sugar
- Risk factors: Drinking alcohol | Changes in meal pattern | Changes in exercise | Taking medications that lower blood sugar | Older age | Kidney or liver problems
Repaglinide can cause low blood sugar, which can sometimes be life-threatening. Some signs of low blood sugar include dizziness, headache, feeling sleepy or weak, shaking, fast heartbeat, confusion, or sweating. Make sure you and your loved ones know how to treat low blood sugar and when they need to call 911. You might need to check your blood sugar more often to make sure it doesn't drop too much while taking this medication. Always 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.
Possible risk of serious heart problems
- Risk factors: Taking repaglinide with NPH-insulin
Repaglinide shouldn't be used in combination with NPH-insulin because this can raise your risk of heart damage. Be sure to tell your prescriber if you're currently using NPH-insulin.
Repaglinide dosage
Tablet| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1mg | 90 tablets | $17.12 | $0.19 |
| 2mg | 90 tablets | $18.04 | $0.20 |
| 0.5mg | 90 tablets | $16.54 | $0.18 |
Typical dosage for Repaglinide
The typical dose is 0.5 mg to 4 mg by mouth within 30 minutes before each meal. The maximum dose is 16 mg per day.
Your dose might differ if you're taking certain medications that interact with repaglinide.
Interactions between Repaglinide 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.
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.
- Abametapir
- Aspirin
- Atazanavir
- Balofloxacin
- Besifloxacin
- Chloroquine
- Ciprofloxacin
- Clopidogrel
- Darolutamide
- Enasidenib
- Enoxacin
- Fleroxacin
- Flumequine
- Fosnetupitant
- Gatifloxacin
- Gemifloxacin
- Hydroxychloroquine
- Itraconazole
- Lanreotide
- Leflunomide
- Letermovir
- Levofloxacin
- Lomefloxacin
- Metreleptin
- Moxifloxacin
- Nadifloxacin
- Netupitant
- Norfloxacin
- Octreotide
- Ofloxacin
- Pasireotide
- Pazufloxacin
- Pefloxacin
- Pioglitazone
- Pixantrone
- Prulifloxacin
- Rufloxacin
- Simeprevir
- Sitagliptin
- Sparfloxacin
- Tecovirimat
- Teriflunomide
- Thioctic Acid
- Tosufloxacin
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.
- Abiraterone Acetate
- Acebutolol
- Atenolol
- Betaxolol
- Bisoprolol
- Bitter Melon
- Carteolol
- Carvedilol
- Celiprolol
- Clarithromycin
- Cyclosporine
- Deferasirox
- Eltrombopag
- Esmolol
- Fenugreek
- Furazolidone
- Glucomannan
- Guar Gum
- Iproniazid
- Isocarboxazid
- Ketoconazole
- Labetalol
- Levobunolol
- Linezolid
- Methylene Blue
- Metipranolol
- Metoprolol
- Moclobemide
- Nadolol
- Nebivolol
- Nialamide
- Oxprenolol
- Penbutolol
- Phenelzine
- Pindolol
- Practolol
- Procarbazine
- Propranolol
- Psyllium
- Rasagiline
- Rifampin
- Rifapentine
- Safinamide
- Selegiline
- Sotalol
- Telithromycin
- Timolol
- Tranylcypromine
- Trimethoprim
How much does Repaglinide cost?
$16.54
Repaglinide 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 Repaglinide will not be safe for you to take.
- Also taking gemfibrozil (Lopid)
What are alternatives to Repaglinide?
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