Learning about medications available to help with high blood sugar can feel overwhelming, so it's essential to work with your healthcare team to weigh the risks and benefits of each option.
This blog post focuses on Glipizide, a type of medication from a class known as Sulfonylureas (SU), so you can better understand what it is and how it works.
What is Glipizide?
Glipizide has been used since the 1960s to treat type 2 diabetes. Glipizide is time-tested and considered safe and effective for lowering blood sugar. As with all diabetes medications, it's best paired with nutrition and exercise, and sometimes with other other medications.
Studies show that taking Glipizide can lower hemoglobin A1c (a measure of average blood sugar levels over 3 months) by 1 to 1.5 %. This is significant because reducing A1c drops the risk for diabetes-related long-term complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, and eye damage.
Glipizide is found in two primary forms. Glipizide IR (immediate-release) can be taken once or twice daily while Glipizide ER (extended-release) is taken once a day.
How does Glipizide work?
Glipizide works by helping your pancreas release its own insulin. Insulin is the hormone in charge of getting glucose from your blood into your cells to be used for energy. With type 2 diabetes you are typically making enough insulin, but your cells aren't responding well to insulin. With nutrition and lifestyle support, Glipizide can help improve blood sugar levels for many people.
Glipizide and hypoglycemia
Glipizide is so effective at lowering blood sugar that there is a risk of your blood sugar going too low, called hypoglycemia.
Hypoglycemia means your blood sugar has dropped below 70 mg/dl—however, it’s important to note that you may feel signs and symptoms before your blood sugar has dropped to 70 mg/dl or lower.
Symptoms of low blood sugar include:
- Feeling shaky
- Sweating
- Rapid heartbeat
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Hunger
- Headache
- Blurry vision
Hypoglycemia is manageable, but can be serious, so if you experience any of these symptoms, it's important to treat them immediately with 15 grams of fast-acting carbs.
Fast-acting carbs are foods or drinks that raise your blood sugar quickly. They can include:
- 4 glucose tablets (get these from your pharmacy to have on-hand)
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of fruit juice or regular soda
- 1 tablespoon of honey
Pro tip: If you have a glucometer at home, it's helpful to check your blood sugar when taking Glipizide, especially if you notice any hypoglycemia symptoms. Work with your doctor or diabetes educator to decide when is the best time for you to check.
Glipizide can help lower blood sugar for people with type 2 diabetes
Whether Glipizide is right for you depends on your personal health needs and goals. You can work with your medical team to find the best treatment plan for you.
We know that access to compassionate medical care isn't always easy to find. 9amHealth is here to change that, with personalized medical care and affordable prescriptions delivered right to your door. Learn more here.
