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Therapeutic action
- Sulfonylurea antidiabetic
Indications
- Second-line treatment of type 2 diabetes, in patients over 60 years:
- as monotherapy, when metformin is not tolerated or contra-indicated
- in combination with metformin, when glycaemic control is inadequate with metformin alone
Forms and strengths
- 80 mg scored tablet
Dosage and duration
- Adult:
Weeks 1 and 2: 40 mg once daily in the morning
Increase if necessary in increments of 40 mg every 2 weeks, according to blood glucose levels (Weeks 3 and 4: 80 mg once daily in the morning).
The usual dose is 80 to 160 mg daily (max. 240 mg daily).
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- Do not administer in the event of:
- allergy to sulfonamides;
- type 1 diabetes, juvenile diabetes, ketoacidosis;
- severe renal or hepatic impairment.
- May cause: hypoglycaemia, gastrointestinal disturbances, weight gain; rarely, allergic reactions.
- Monitor combination with:
- diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, azole antifungals (fluconazole, miconazole), ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, co-trimoxazole (enhanced hypoglycaemic effect);
- rifampicin (decreased hypoglycaemic effect);
- drugs increasing blood glucose levels: corticosteroids, hydrochlorothiazide, salbutamol, chlorpromazine.
- Avoid combination with alcohol (risk of hypoglycaemia).
- Pregnancy: avoid. Insulin is the drug of choice for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in pregnant women (improved glycaemic control; reduced risk of foetal anomalies and neonatal complications).
- Breast-feeding: CONTRA-INDICATED
Remarks
- Take with meals (reduced risk of gastrointestinal disturbances).
- For doses greater than 80 mg daily, divide the daily dose into 2 doses.
- Also comes in 30 and 60 mg modified release tablets.
Storage
- Below 25 °C