APO-Glimepiride 1 Mg Tablets: Educator Will Show You How and When to Do This
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APO-Glimepiride Contains the active ingredient glimepiride Consumer Medicine Information For a copy of a large print leaflet, Ph: 1800 Ask your doctor if you have any questions Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are 195 055 about why this medicine has been prescribed not sure whether you should start taking this for you. medicine. What is in this leaflet This medicine is available only with a doctor's Before you start to take it prescription. Tell your doctor if: This leaflet answers some common questions There is no evidence that this medicine is about APO-Glimepiride. It does not contain all of addictive. 1. You have allergies to: the available information. - any other medicines - lactose It does not take the place of talking to your doctor Before you take this medicine or pharmacist. - any other substances such as food, preservatives, or dyes All medicines have risks and benefits. Your When you must not take it 2. You have or have had any medical doctor has weighed the risks of you taking this Do not take this medicine if you have had an conditions, especially the following: medicine against the benefits this medicine is allergic reaction to: expected to have for you. - liver problems • glimepiride or other sulfonylureas - kidney problems Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any • antibiotics called sulphonamides - a deficiency in the enzyme in your body concerns about taking this medicine. • thiazide diuretics (a type of fluid or water called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase Keep this leaflet with the medicine. tablets) (G6PD) You may need to read it again. • - a history of diabetic coma lactose (these tablets contain lactose) - adrenal, pituitary or thyroid problems • What this medicine is used for any of the ingredients listed at the end of this - heart failure leaflet 3. You drink alcohol in any amount The name of your medicine is APO-Glimepiride. Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include: 4. You do not eat regular meals It contains the active ingredient glimepiride. • shortness of breath 5. You do a lot of exercise or you do heavy This type of diabetes is also known as non- • wheezing or difficulty breathing exercise or work insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or maturity onset diabetes. • swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat or 6. You are ill or feeling unwell other parts of the body 7. You plan to become pregnant of breast-feed Glimepiride is used when diet and exercise are not enough to control your blood glucose. • muscle pain or tenderness or joint pain or 8. You are taking any other anti-diabetic rash treatments Glimepiride can be used alone, or together with • insulin or other medicines for treating diabetes. itching or hives on the skin. Alcohol, diet, exercise, and your general health all strongly affect the control of your diabetes. How it works Check with your doctor if you are not sure if you have any of the above. If you have not told you doctor, pharmacist, of Glimepiride belongs to a group of medicines diabetes educator about any of the above, tell called sulphonylureas. Do not take this medicine if you have, or have had any of the following conditions: them before you start taking this medicine. Glimepiride lowers high blood glucose by • type 1 diabetes mellitus (insulin dependent Taking other medicines increasing the amount of insulin produced by diabetes mellitus, also known as IDDM, or your pancreas. Tell your doctor if you are taking any other juvenile or growth onset diabetes) medicines, including medicines that you buy If your blood glucose is not properly controlled, • a history of ketoacidosis without a prescription from a pharmacy, you may experience hypoglycaemia (low blood supermarket or health food shop. glucose) or hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose). • unstable diabetes • diabetic ketoacidosis Some medicines may interfere with glimepiride. Hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) can occur These include: suddenly. Signs may include: • diabetic coma or pre-coma • other medicines used to treat diabetes (tablets • • Weakness, trembling or shaking severe kidney disease or undergoing dialysis and insulin) • • Sweating severe liver disease • some medicines used to treat high blood • Lightheadedness, dizziness, headache or lack • Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) pressure or heart conditions, eg. beta of concentration deficiency blockers, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel • Tearfulness or crying Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant blockers, amiodarone, disopyramide, reserpine or guanethidine • Irritability or plan to become pregnant. Glimepiride may affect your developing baby if • some hormones used in hormone • Hunger you take it during pregnancy. Insulin is more replacement therapy and oral contraceptives • Numbness around the lips and tongue suitable for controlling blood glucose during (oestrogen and progestogens) If not treated promptly, these may progress to: pregnancy. Your doctor will usually replace • monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), • Loss of co-ordination glimepiride with insulin while you are pregnant. used for treating depression, Parkinson's • Slurred speech Do not take this medicine of you are breast- Disease or infections feeding or planning to breast-feed. • • Confusion some medicines used for mental illness (eg. Glimepiride can pass into the breast milk and phenothiazines) • Loss of consciousness or seizures harm your baby. • barbiturates, used for epilepsy and sedation Hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose) usually Do not give this medicine to children. during anaesthetics occurs more slowly than low blood glucose. There is not enough experience with the use of • phenytoin, used for epilepsy Signs of high blood glucose may include: glimepiride in children. • medicines for treating high cholesterol / • Lethargy or tiredness Do not take this medicine past the expiry date blood fats • Headache (EXP) printed on the pack. • some medicines used to treat arthritis, pain • Thirst If you take this medicine after the expiry it may not work as well. and inflammation (diclofenac, naproxen, • Passing large amounts of urine ibuprofen, azapropazone, fenyramidol, Do not take this medicine if the packaging is • Blurred vision oxyphenbutazone, phenylbutazone, torn, shows signs of tampering or if it does not salicylates) High blood glucose can lead to serious problems look quite right. • with your heart, eyes, circulation or kidneys. If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your antibiotics called sulfonamides, quinolones, pharmacist for disposal. sulfinpyrazone, tetracyclines, rifampicin, isoniazid, clarithromycin or chloramphenicol APO-Glimepiride Published by MIMS September 2014 1 • miconazole, or fluconazole, used to treat How to take it While you are taking this medicine fungal infections Swallow the tablets whole with a glass of Things you must do • some medicines used to prevent or treat water. Do not chew tablets. blood clots (warfarin and similar medicines) Take your tablets exactly as your doctor has When to take it • cimetidine, famotidine, nizatidine and prescribed. ranitidine, used to treat acid reflux and Take glimepiride immediately before or with a Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacists who stomach ulcers meal. are treating you that you are taking Glimepiride tablets are usually taken once a day, • glimepiride. medicines called corticosteroids (e.g. immediately before breakfast. If you only eat a prednisolone, cortisone) light breakfast, you should delay taking the tablet If you plan to have surgery that needs a • anabolic steroids, male sex hormones until the first main meal of the day (e.g. lunch). general anaesthetic, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking glimepiride. • thyroid hormones, used to treat thyroid Do not skip meals while taking glimepiride problems tablets. Tell your doctor immediately if you become pregnant. • oxpentifylline used to prevent or treat blood Take it at about the same time each day. vessel problems It will also help you remember when to take Tell your doctor if you feel APO-Glimepiride is not helping your condition. • clonidine, used for high blood pressure or them. migraine It is important that you eat regular meals. Tell your doctor that you are taking this medicine if you are about to have any blood • diuretics, also known as fluid tablets (e.g. How long to take it for chlorothiazide) tests. • Continue taking your medicine for as long as Tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are diazoxide, used mainly for treating very high your doctor tells you. blood pressure taking glimepiride if you are about to start Glimepiride will help control your Type 2 taking any new medicines. • acetazolamide, used to treat glaucoma, diabetes but will not cure it. Most people will epilepsy and oedema (swelling due to fluid) need to take glimepiride for long periods of time. Tell all doctors, dentists, pharmacists and • diabetes educators who are involved with your some antidepressants Make sure you have enough to last over treatment that you are taking this medicine. • weight reduction medicines weekends and holidays. Make sure you, your friends, family and work • tritoqualine, an antihistamine Do not skip meals while taking glimepiride colleagues can recognise the symptoms of • trofosfamide, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, tablets. hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) and used for treating certain cancers Take it at about the same time each day. hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose) and know • laxatives (long-term use) It will also help you remember when to take what to do. Provide them with the telephone them. number for your doctor, the Poisons • probenecid, used for treating gout It is important that you eat regular meals. Information Centre (13 11 26 in Australia). • glucagon, used to help balance blood sugar If you forget to take it Always carry some sugary food or drink with levels you. • If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the medicines used in asthma medicines and cold Tell your doctor immediately if you notice the dose you missed and take your next dose when remedies. return of any symptoms of hyperglycaemia you are meant to. These medicines may be affected by glimepiride that you had before starting glimepiride, or if or may affect how well it works.