Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin
About
Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin is a combination of anti-diabetic drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes mellites. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic or lifelong condition that affects the way your body processes glucose. People with type 2 diabetes either do not produce enough insulin or if at all the insulin is produced, it is unable to perform its function in the body (insulin resistance). Due to this, the blood glucose level increases and causes symptoms such as frequent urination, increased thirst and increased hunger start.
Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin is a combination of three antidiabetic drugs: Glimepiride, Metformin and Voglibose. Glimepiride, which is a 'sulfonylurea', acts by increasing the amount of insulin released by the pancreas. Metformin, which is a 'biguanide', acts by lowering the glucose production in the liver, delaying glucose absorption from the intestines and increasing the body's response to insulin. Voglibose, which is an 'alpha-glucosidase inhibitor', prevents the breakdown of complex sugars into simple sugars such as glucose in the intestine. In a nutshell, the three medicines together prevent the blood glucose levels from rising to very high levels, thus keeping your diabetes under control.
Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin should be taken with food to avoid an upset stomach. Based on your medical condition, your doctor will decide for how long you need to take Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin. Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin may cause certain common side effects such as hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose levels), taste change, nausea, diarrhoea, stomach pain, headache, upper respiratory symptoms. Most of these side effects do not require medical attention and will resolve gradually over time. However, if you experience these side effects persistently, consult your doctor.
Continue taking Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin for as long as your doctor has advised. If you stop taking Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin abruptly, it may increase your sugar levels which could further increase the risk of eyesight loss (retinopathy), kidney (nephropathy) and nerve damage (neuropathy). Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin should not be taken if you have type 1 diabetes mellitus, severe kidney or liver disease. Please inform your doctor if you have any type of heart disease, are planning to get pregnant or are breastfeeding.
Uses of Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin
Medicinal Benefits
Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin contains Glimepiride, Metformin and Voglibose. Glimepiride, which is a 'sulfonylurea', acts by increasing the amount of insulin released by the pancreas. Metformin, which is a 'biguanide', acts by lowering the glucose production in the liver, delaying glucose absorption from the intestines and increasing the body's response to insulin. Voglibose, which is an 'alpha-glucosidase inhibitor' prevents the breakdown of complex sugars into simple sugars such as glucose in the intestine. Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin prevents the blood glucose levels from rising to very high levels thus keeping your diabetes under control. Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin also helps to prevent serious complications of diabetes such as kidney damage (Diabetic Nephropathy), blindness (Diabetic Retinopathy), loss of sensation in your hands and feet (Diabetic Neuropathy), Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin also helps to reduce your chance of having a heart attack or stroke. Being a combination of three drugs, Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin reduces the need to take multiple pills and hence makes it easier to remember to take the drugs.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin
- Hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose level)
- Taste change
- Nausea
- Diarrhoea
- Stomach pain
- Flatulence
- Headache
- Upper respiratory symptoms
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Some diabetic patients taking Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin may develop a rare but serious condition called lactic acidosis. In this condition, there is too much lactic acid accumulated in the blood. So, your liver and kidney proper functioning is required for the elimination of excess lactic acid from the blood. You should not take Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin if you have kidney disease, as measured by a blood test. Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin may lower vitamin B12 levels, so try to have blood test annual blood and vitamin. Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin when used with or without insulin has the tendency to extremely lower the blood sugar level. So, the doctor may lower the dose of insulin. Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin may lower your thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), so an annual check-up of TSH is suggested.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interaction: Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin may interact with insulin, high blood pressure-lowering pills (hydrochlorothiazide, amlodipine), water pills/diuretics (furosemide), heart failure-related medicines (digoxin), anti-hypertensive (metoprolol), steroids (prednisolone), thyroid hormones etc. So, tell your doctor if you are using these drugs before taking Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin.
Drug-Food Interaction: Taking Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin with alcoholic beverages may increase the risk of a rare but serious and potentially life-threatening condition known as lactic acidosis (build-up of lactic acid in the blood) and hypoglycaemia.
Drug-Disease Interaction: Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin should be avoided in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency, kidney problems, liver problems, cardiovascular disease (heart-related issues) and low blood sugar level (hypoglycaemia) as it may worsen the condition.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeTaking Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin with alcohol can cause hypoglycaemia and can also lead to a rare but life-threatening condition known as Lactic Acidosis. So, keep your doctor informed if you drink alcohol.
Pregnancy
cautionAs the data around the use of Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin in pregnant women is limited, the use of Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin in pregnancy is restricted. It is highly recommended to consult your doctor before taking this drug in case you are pregnant.
Breast Feeding
cautionThe name is not recommended during breastfeeding. However, your doctor may prescribe it for you during breastfeeding if he/she feels that the benefit to you outweighs the risk. You should not take Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin without a doctor's advice.
Driving
cautionGlimepiride+voglibose+metformin may cause hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels) whose symptoms include unusual sleepiness, shivering, palpitations, sweating etc. This may affect your ability to drive. Use caution while driving or doing anything that requires concentration.
Liver
cautionGlimepiride+voglibose+metformin to be taken with caution, especially if you have a history of liver diseases/conditions. Dose may have to be adjusted by your doctor depending on your liver function tests.
Kidney
cautionGlimepiride+voglibose+metformin to be taken with caution, especially if you have a history of Kidney diseases/conditions. Dose may have to be adjusted by your doctor depending on your kidney function tests.
Children
cautionGlimepiride+voglibose+metformin is not recommended for children below the age of 18 years. The safety and effectiveness of Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin has not been established in children due to limited evidence. So, only take Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin if the doctor has prescribed Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Fill your half plate with starchy veggies, quarter with proteins and quarter with whole grain.
- Eat at regular interval. Do not take long gap between a meal or snack.
- Monitor your blood sugar level regularly especially when there are a lot of fluctuations.
- Invest at least 150 min of moderate intensity physical activity and 15 minutes of high intensity exercise every week.
- Lose weight gradually to achieve a healthy body mass index (18.5 to 24.9).
- Replace refined carbohydrates containing foods with wholegrain foods and increase intake of fruits and veggies and other fibre enriched foods.
- Reduce intake of saturated fat (or hidden fats) in the food like chips, crisps, pastries, biscuits and samosas. Choose omega 3 fatty acid containing oils for daily cooking. For frying, you may use palm oil, mustard oil, groundnut oil, rice bran oil and safflower oil.
- Do not take stress as it may elevate your blood sugar level. You may adopt stress management techniques like mindfulness, yoga or meditation to control stress related blood sugar changes.
- Opt for low-fat dairy products (low fat yogurt, fat free milk and cheese etc.).
- Keep your blood pressure as normal (120/80) as possible. As it reduces risk of cardiovascular diseases in diabetes patients.
Special Advise
- Keep taking the drug even if you think your blood sugar levels are under control. If you miss a dose, do not take a larger dose, consult your treating physician for advice.
- Take short frequent meals, avoid prolonged fasting when taking this drug. Beware of symptoms of hypoglycaemia which include sweating, dizziness, palpitations, shivering, intense thirst, dry mouth, dry skin, frequent urination etc. Whenever you experience the above mentioned symptoms, immediately consume 5-6 candies or 3 glucose biscuits or 3 teaspoons of honey/sugar and also get in touch with your physician. Make sure to carry these with you at all times, especially for long travels.
- It is always better that your physician knows about any underlying conditions like kidney disease or liver disease, prior heart attack, alcohol intake, etc before the doctor prescribes you this medicine.
- Avoid drinking alcohol while on this drug as it increases the risk of hypoglycaemia (decrease in blood sugar which might be fatal in some cases) and lactic acidosis (when the lactic acid increases in the body which impacts the functioning of various organs in the body).
- Try to quit smoking and reduce intake of carbohydrate rich food like potato, rice, mangoes, bread, sugar etc.
- Remember, lifestyle modifications are the most important step in controlling blood sugar levels.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Diabetes Mellitus type 2 is a condition in which either the body stops producing enough insulin (the hormone which helps to decrease sugar levels in the blood) or there is resistance to the action of insulin. As a result, excessive insulin is produced but it fails to act on the organs of the body. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes include feeling exhausted all time, feeling thirsty, having blurry vision, and urge to urinate (pee) more often. Complications of type 2 diabetes include skin infection, eye problems (retinopathy), nerve damage (neuropathy), diabetic foot (foot ulcer), kidney disease (nephropathy), high blood pressure and even stroke.
FAQs
If you have symptoms like increased hunger, increased thirst, frequent urination (usually at night), unexplained weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, slow wound/sores healing and frequent infections, contact doctor as it can be a condition of type 2 diabetes.
Hypoglycaemia refers to low blood sugar levels. The symptoms of hypoglycaemia include nausea, headache, irritability, hunger, sweating, dizziness. Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin can cause hypoglycaemia. Hypoglycaemia can occur if you miss or delay your food, drink alcohol, over-exercise or take other anti-diabetic medicine along with Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin. Diabetics are advised to keep a quick source of sugar like glucose tablets, honey or fruit juice with them.
Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin should be avoided in patients who are allergic to any of the components or excipients of this medicine. It should be avoided in patients suffering from moderate to severe kidney disease and in patients with underlying metabolic acidosis including diabetic ketoacidosis.
If you feel thirsty after taking Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin, it may be because of dehydration as Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin can lead to loss of fluids. Increase intake of fluids, if even then you feel thirsty please consult your doctor.
If you have been affected with diabetes, you should have a test of HbA1c once in three months.
Yes, long-term usage of Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin can cause vitamin B12 deficiency as it interferes with the absorption of vitamin B12 in the stomach. The symptoms can be managed by taking Vitamin B12 supplements as advised by your doctor.
No. Till date there is no clinical evidence that states that Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin affects fertility in either men or women.
Lactic acidosis is rare but life threatening condition when, there is too much of lactic acid build up in the bloodstream. Long term intake of Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin may lead to lactic acidosis when cells get deprived of the oxygen levels. Symptoms of lactic acidoisis includes burning sensation of muscle, muscle ache, fast breathing, nausea and stomach pain. Immediately contact doctor if you experience any of these symptoms when on Glimepiride+voglibose+metformin.
In case you feel that your blood sugar level is going down and you are feeling weak, immediately eat sugar candies or drink sugar beverages. It will help to balance blood sugar level in your body. So, it is advisable to keep sugar candies with you and consult a doctor immediately.
