What Is Glyburide and Metformin Used For? (Cont.)

Using Glyburide and Metformin for Type 1 Diabetes

Most people, including those with type 2 diabetes, make insulin in their pancreas. However, if a person has type 1 diabetes, their body does not make insulin (or it does not make enough to control blood sugar levels). Glyburide and metformin is a medicine that causes the cells inside the pancreas to make more insulin. If insulin-producing cells do not work, as is the case with type 1 diabetes, glyburide and metformin will not be very effective. This is the reason that glyburide and metformin is not used to treat type 1 diabetes. Instead, a person with type 1 diabetes needs to take insulin medication.
 

Glyburide and Metformin as Part of Diabetes Treatment

The main goal of any diabetes treatment is to lower your blood sugar levels (as measured by your hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c]) enough to reduce your risk of developing problems related to diabetes (see Diabetes Complications).
 
Any type 2 diabetes treatment begins with lifestyle changes (such as weight loss, a diabetic diet, and exercise). If lifestyle changes alone are not effective at managing diabetes, diabetes drugs, such as glyburide and metformin, may be necessary.
 
(To learn about controlling diabetes through lifestyle choices, click on the links below:
 

Glyburide and Metformin Use in Children

Glyburide and metformin is not recommended for use in children, since it has not been adequately studied in children. Talk with your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of using glyburide and metformin for type 2 diabetes in children.
 
(What Is Glyburide and Metformin Used For? Continued: Page 3)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;