I

Package leaflet: Information for the patient

Glipizide 5 mg Tablets

(glipizide)

Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.

•    Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.

•    If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

•    This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.

•    If you get any side effects talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

What is in this leaflet:

1.    What Glipizide is and what it is used for

2.    What you need to know before you take Glipizide

3.    How to take Glipizide

4.    Possible side effects

5.    How to store Glipizide

6.    Contents of the pack and other information

1.    What Glipizide is and what it is used for

Glipizide is one of a group of medicines called sulfonylureas. Glipizide is used to reduce blood sugar levels (antidiabetic medicine taken by mouth).

Glipizide is used in a certain form of diabetes (type 2 diabetes mellitus), when diet, exercise and weight loss alone do not have an adequate effect.

2.    What you need to know before you take Glipizide Do not take Glipizide if you:

•    are allergic to glipizide, other sulfonylureas or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6)

•    suffer from kidney or liver disease

•    suffer from thyroid problems

•    have insulin-dependent diabetes (also called 'juvenile onset' or 'Type I' diabetes)

•    have diabetic ketoacidosis (a complication of diabetes with rapid weight loss, feeling or being sick), especially if this has ever led to unconsciousness or a coma

•    are taking miconazole to treat a fungal infection

•    are pregnant, are planning to become pregnant or are breastfeeding

Warnings and precautions

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Glipizide if:

•    it is planned that you will have surgery in the near future

•    you are suffering from stress or have an infection or fever

•    you have recently had a traumatic injury (if you are receiving treatment for an accident tell your doctor you have been given these tablets)

•    you have been told that your adrenal or pituitary glands are not working properly

In the above cases, your doctor may change the number of tablets you should take or he/she may revise your entire treatment plan.

Lowering of the haemoglobin level and breakdown of red blood cells (haemolytic anaemia) can occur in patients missing the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD).

Control of your blood sugar levels During Glipizide treatment, regular checking of your blood (or urine) sugar levels is necessary. Your doctor may also perform certain blood tests to monitor your progress. You should follow the treatment plan prescribed by your doctor in order to control your blood sugar levels. This means that you should continue with your diabetic diet, take regular exercise and if necessary, lose weight.

In the first few weeks of treatment, there is a greater risk of having low blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia). Your doctor will therefore monitor your progress closely.

Low blood sugar levels may occur if:

•    you have meals irregularly or you skip meals altogether

•    you are fasting

•    you are elderly or in poor health

•    you change your diet

•    you increase your physical activity without increasing your carbohydrate intake

•    you drink alcohol (especially if you also skip meals)

•    you take certain other medicines at the same time (see 'Taking other medicines')

If you suffer from low blood sugar levels, you may have the following symptoms:

•    headache

•    hunger

•    exhaustion

•    feeling or being sick

•    weariness

•    sleepiness

•    problems sleeping

•    restlessness

•    aggressiveness

•    difficulty concentrating

•    feeling less alert

•    having slower reactions than normal

•    depression

•    confusion

•    speech problems

•    eyesight problems

•    dizziness

•    helplessness

•    sweating

•    clammy skin

•    anxiety

•    faster heart beat

•    high blood pressure

•    feeling of an abnormally strong, racing or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)

•    sudden strong pain in the chest (angina)

If your blood sugar levels continue to drop, you may suffer from considerable confusion (delirium), you may develop 'fits' (convulsions), have breathing difficulties, your heartbeat may slow down and you may fall unconscious.

In most cases, the signs of reduced blood sugar vanish very quickly when you eat or drink something sugary e.g. sugar cubes, sweet juice, sweetened tea. You should always carry some form of sugar with you. Remember that artificial sweeteners are not effective. Please contact your doctor or hospital if taking sugar does not help or if any of these symptoms return.

Other medicines and Glipizide

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription.

Taking the following medicines with Glipizide may reduce your blood sugar levels too much:

•    Insulin or another medicine to control your diabetes

•    Antibiotics to treat an infection (e.g. sulfonamides, chloramphenicol)

•    NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines e.g. aspirin or ibuprofen), used to treat pain and/or inflammation

•    Medicines to thin the blood (e.g. warfarin and other coumarins)

•    Medicines to treat fungal infections (e.g. fluconazole or voriconazole)

•    Certain medicines to treat high blood pressure called beta-blockers (e.g. atenolol, propranolol)

•    Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs, e.g. moclobemide, used to treat depression)

•    Medicines to treat gout (e.g. probenecid)

•    Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (e.g. captopril used to treat high blood pressure)

•    Cimetidine (used to treat stomach or duodenal ulcers and other digestive disorders)

•    Fibrates (e.g. clofibrate used to treat high cholesterol)

Taking the following medicines with Glipizide may increase your blood sugar levels:

•    Oral contraceptives ('the pill') and medicines containing oestrogen

•    'Water tablets' (also known as diuretics)

•    Medicines to treat thyroid disorders

•    Medicines to treat inflammation called corticosteroids (e.g. hydrocortisone, prednisolone)

•    Medicines called phenothiazines (e.g. chlorpromazine), used to treat sickness or some mental illnesses

•    Medicines to treat tuberculosis (e.g. isoniazid)

Date: 03 DEC 2014

Time: 11:12

1

Page Count

1/2

Driving and using machines

Do not drive or operate machinery if you feel dizzy, drowsy, suffer from headaches or have difficulty concentrating after taking this medicine.

Glipizide contains lactose. If your doctor has told you that you have an intolerance to some sugars, such as lactose, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.

3. How to take Glipizide

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. Glipizide should be taken about 30 minutes before a meal.

Use in children

Glipizide is not recommended for use in children.

If you take more Glipizide than you should

If you have taken too many tablets, this will cause your blood sugar level to drop too low (hypoglycaemia - for signs of hypoglycaemia see section 2). If left untreated, this can lead to fainting and coma.

You should eat or drink something sugary as soon as you can (e.g. sugar cubes, sweet juice, sweetened tea) and tell your doctor immediately.

If you forget to take Glipizide Take the next dose as soon as you remember or feel faint, otherwise your blood sugar level will become too high and you may go into a coma (unconscious). Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.

If you stop taking Glipizide

This will make your diabetes worse. Talk to your doctor before you stop taking Glipizide.

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

I

Date: 03 DEC 2014

Time: 11:12

1

Page Count

2/2