Glicazide is the active ingredient of Austell-Glicazide, Diaglucide, Diamicron, Glucomed, Glycron, Glygard, Merck-Glicazide and Sandoz-Glicazide.

General information

Glicazide is an oral blood glucose-lowering drug. It is prescribed in the treatment and management of Type-2 diabetes that is not adequately controlled by diet and exercise alone.

Type-2 diabetes makes up 90 per cent or more of all cases of diabetes.

Treatment with oral antidiabetic drugs should only be started once all lifestyle and dietary measures have been tried for at least three months and have not controlled blood-glucose adequately. Once treatment with this medication is started, diet and exercise should, however, not be stopped.

Glicazide can be used on its own or in combination with other oral blood glucose-lowering drugs.

For glicazide to remain effective it needs to be taken regularly. It is best taken 30 minutes before a meal to allow the insulin that is released as a result, to cope with food.

Low blood sugar is a potential risk when being treated with this and similar drugs. Dosage should be titrated under supervision until the right dose has been found. It is therefore recommended to start treatment with low doses.

Glicazide tends to encourage weight gain, and weight control is of great importance.

This medication is used in general when the body is still making some insulin.

How does it work?

Glicazide acts by stimulating the release of insulin from the pancreas, thereby promoting sugar uptake in the body. This ultimately lowers the level of sugar in the blood.

Fast facts

Drug schedule: Schedule 3

Available as: Tablets

What does it do? Lowers blood sugar

Overdose risk: High

Dependence risk : Low

Available as a generic? Yes

Available on prescription only? Yes

User information

Onset of effect: Within 1 hour.

Duration of action: Up to 24 hours.

Dietary advice: Take this medication 30 minutes before a meal.

Stopping this medicine: Diabetes may worsen with premature discontinuation, so consult your doctor before stopping.

Prolonged use: No problems expected.

Special precautions

Alert your doctor before using this drug if:

• You have liver or kidney disease
• You have thyroid disease
• You have porphyria
• You have a disease/condition affecting your adrenal glands
• You are allergic to any medication
• You are taking other medication

Pregnancy: Avoid. Potential risk to the foetus has been reported. Consult your doctor before use, or if you are planning to fall pregnant.

Breastfeeding: Avoid. This medication is passed through breast milk and may affect your baby adversely. Consult your doctor before use.

Porphyria: Avoid. This medication may cause serious adverse effects. Consult your doctor before use.

Infants and children: This medication is not intended for use in children.

Elderly: Caution is advised in the elderly as side effects may be more common.

Driving and hazardous work: Caution is advised as use may lead to dizziness or light-headedness. Avoid such activities until you know how it affects you.

Alcohol: Avoid as concurrent use causes a "disulfiram-like" reaction.

Possible side effects

Interactions

Drug interactions

Disease interactions

Consult your doctor before using this drug if you have liver or kidney disease, thyroid disease, porphyria or a disease/condition affecting your adrenal glands.

Overdose action

An overdose of this medication can be serious. Seek immediate emergency medical attention.

Recommended dosage

Adults: 40-80 mg daily up to a maximum of 320 mg/day

This material is not intended to substitute medical advice, but is for informational purposes only. Please consult a physician for specific treatment and recommendations.