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Glibenclamide (Glyburide)

 

Glibenclamide (generic Glynase) Review

generic names: Fluvastatin, Glibenclamide

How does it work?

Daonil tablets contain the active ingredient glibenclamide, which is a type of medicine called a sulphonylurea. (NB. Glibenclamide tablets are also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine.) Glibenclamide is used to help control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

People with type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent diabetes) have a deficiency of a hormone called insulin. Insulin is produced by the pancreas and is the main hormone responsible for controlling sugar levels in the blood. It normally makes the cells of the body remove excess sugar from the blood. In type 2 diabetes insulin is produced inefficiently in response to surges of blood sugar, eg following a meal. The cells of the body also become resistant to the action of insulin that is produced, which means that blood sugar levels can become too high.

Glibenclamide works mainly by stimulating the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. These cells are called beta cells. Glibenclamide causes the beta cells to produce more insulin. This helps to decrease the amount of sugar in the blood of people with type 2 diabetes.

Glibenclamide is a first line option for treating type 2 diabetes in people who are not overweight, or who cannot take metformin. It is used when diet and exercise have failed to control blood sugar levels. It can also be used in combination with other antidiabetic medicines to provide better control of blood sugar.

The tablets should normally be taken with, or immediately after, breakfast or the first main meal.

What is the most important information I should know about fluvastatin?

In rare cases, fluvastatin can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue. This condition can lead to kidney failure. Call your doctor at once if you have unexplained muscle pain or tenderness, fever or flu symptoms, muscle weakness, and dark colored urine. This medication can cause birth defects in an unborn baby. Do not use if you are pregnant. Use an effective form of birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Do not take fluvastatin if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, or if you have liver disease.

Before taking fluvastatin, tell your doctor if you have diabetes, underactive thyroid, kidney disease, a muscle disorder, or a blood disorder:

There may be other drugs that can affect fluvastatin. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, herbal products, minerals, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Avoid eating foods that are high in fat or cholesterol. Fluvastatin will not be as effective in lowering your cholesterol if you do not follow a cholesterol-lowering diet plan.

Avoid drinking alcohol while taking fluvastatin. Alcohol can raise triglyceride levels, and may also damage your liver while you are taking fluvastatin.

What is it used for?

• Type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes , when diet has failed to fully control blood sugar
  
  

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking fluvastatin?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to fluvastatin, if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, or if you have liver disease.

Before taking fluvastatin, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

• a muscle disorder.
• kidney disease; or
• underactive thyroid;
• diabetes;

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use fluvastatin, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

FDA pregnancy category X. This medication can cause birth defects. Do not use fluvastatin if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using this medication. It is not known whether fluvastatin passes into breast milk. Do not take fluvastatin without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Fluvastatin is not for use in children younger than 10 years of age.

Not to be used in

• Hereditary blood disorders called porphyrias
  
  
• Breastfeeding
  
  
• Pregnancy
  
  
• Severe problems with the production of natural steroid hormones by the adrenal glands
  
  
• Severely decreased kidney function
  
  
• Severely decreased liver function
  
  
• Diabetic coma or precoma
  
  
• Diabetic keto-acidosis
  
  
• Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes
  
  

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.

If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

What other drugs will affect fluvastatin?

Before taking fluvastatin, talk to your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• HIV or AIDS medication such as or saquinavir (Invirase, lopinavir-ritonavir (Kaletra), ritonavir (Norvir), nelfinavir (Viracept), indinavir (Crixivan), amprenavir (Agenerase), Fortovase).
• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin); or
• rifampin (Rifadin, Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane);
• phenytoin (Dilantin);
• nefazodone (Serzone);
• an antifungal medication such as fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), or ketoconazole (Nizoral);
• cholestyramine (Questran) or colestipol (Colestid);
• erythromycin (E-Mycin, clarithromycin (Biaxin), others), Ery-Tab, or telithromycin (Ketek);
• niacin (Nicolar, Nicobid, Slo-Niacin, others);
• amiodarone (Cordarone), Tiazac), Dilacor, Cardizem, diltiazem (Cartia, or verapamil (Verelan, Calan, Isoptin);
• glyburide (Glibenclamide (Glynase), DiaBeta, Micronase);
• gemfibrozil (Lopid), clofibrate (Atromid-S), or fenofibrate (Tricor);
• diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren));
• danazol (Danocrine);
• cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf);
• stomach acid reducers such as ranitidine (Zantac), cimetidine (Tagamet), or omeprazole (Prilosec);

If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to take fluvastatin, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring.

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect fluvastatin. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, herbal products, minerals, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.