Glimepiride

Glimepiride, sold under the trade name Amaryl among others, is a medication used to treat diabetes mellitus type 2. It is less preferred than metformin. Use is recommended together with diet and exercise. It is taken by mouth. Glimepiride takes up to three hours for maximum effect and lasts for about a day. Glimepiride, sold under the trade name Amaryl among others, is a medication used to treat diabetes mellitus type 2. It is less preferred than metformin. Use is recommended together with diet and exercise. It is taken by mouth. Glimepiride takes up to three hours for maximum effect and lasts for about a day. Common side effects include headache, nausea, and dizziness. Serious side effects may include low blood sugar. Use in during pregnancy and breastfeeding is not recommended. It works mainly by increasing the amount of insulin released from the pancreas. It is classified as a second-generation sulfonylurea. Glimepiride was patented in 1979 and approved for medical use in 1995. It is available as a generic medication. A month supply in the United Kingdom costs the NHS about 7.00 £ per month as of 2019. In the United States, the wholesale cost of this amount is about 2.15 USD. In 2016 it was the 61st most prescribed medication in the United States with more than 12 million prescriptions. Glimepiride is indicated to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus; its mode of action is to increase insulin secretion by the pancreas. However it requires adequate insulin synthesis as prerequisite to treat appropriately. It is not used for type 1 diabetes because in type 1 diabetes the pancreas is not able to produce insulin.