What Is Glimepiride Used For?

What Is Glimepiride Used For?

Glimepiride (Amaryl^®) is a prescription medication licensed to treat type 2 diabetes when diet and exercise changes alone have not been successful.

 

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes (see Diabetes Types). It is also sometimes called adult-onset diabetes or noninsulin-dependent diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a condition involving insulin resistance. With insulin resistance, the body's cells do not respond to insulin as well as they normally should. As a result, the cells do not take sugar out of the blood very well. This is why type 2 diabetics have high blood sugar.

 

Over time, high blood sugar can lead to a number of problems, including diabetic impotence, diabetic neuropathy, kidney failure, and heart disease (see Diabetes Complications). The cause of type 2 diabetes is not fully understood, although it is known that obesity and genetics play an important role.

 

Glimepiride is used for treating type 2 diabetes in people who cannot lower blood sugar through lifestyle changes (such as weight loss, diet, and exercise). Glimepiride works by increasing the production of insulin in the pancreas. Glimepiride also helps to lower blood sugar by improving insulin resistance. This means that glimepiride helps the body's cells take more sugar from the blood.

 

In some people, glimepiride may need to be combined with other diabetes medicines. For example, if type 2 diabetes is untreated for a very long time, the pancreas may not be able to make insulin anymore. In these people, using glimepiride alone will not be effective. These people will need to take insulin along with glimepiride.

 

Using Glimepiride for Type 1 Diabetes

People with type 1 diabetes do not have the ability to produce insulin. Glimepiride will not work for these people, because the actions of glimepiride are dependent upon insulin. However, for people with both type 1 diabetes and insulin resistance ("double diabetes"), taking both glimepiride and insulin may be useful.