Gliclazide Tablets

Diabrezide 80mg Tablets contain a medicine called gliclazide. This belongs to a group of medicines called ‘sulphonylureas’. It works by controlling sugar (glucose) levels in the blood.

Garvan

Pharmacist - M.B.A. (Public Health) D.I.C.

Gliclazide Tablets

Diabrezide 80mg Tablets are used for the sort of…

Garvan J. Lynch
MBA (Public Health)

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Diabrezide 80mg Tablets are used for the sort of diabetes called ‘Type 2 diabetes’. This is when insulin is not needed, but diet and exercise alone do not lower sugar levels in the blood. People usually need treatment for diabetes for the rest of their life.

How to take Diabrezide 80mg Tablets

  • Take this medicine by mouth.
  • Take the medicine 30 minutes before a meal.
  • Swallow the tablets whole with a glass of water.
  • Do not crush or chew the tablets.

How much to take

  • The starting dose is usually half to one tablet each day, taken before breakfast.
  • This may be increased every 7 to 14 days until your blood sugar levels are controlled.
  • The usual dose is one to two tablets each day. This is usually split into two doses, take it:
  • 30 minutes before breakfast and
  • 30 minutes before your evening meal.
  • The maximum dose is 4 tablets each day.

Your doctor will give you advice on when you will need to have blood or urine tests to measure your blood sugar levels.

For elderly patients or patients with liver or kidney problem the doctor may prescribe a lower dose.

If you take too much of this medicine, talk to your doctor or go to a hospital straight away.

The signs of taking too much are the symptoms of low blood sugar (hypo-glycaemia). These include sweating, looking pale, feeling cold, shivering, a fast heart beat, temporary difficulty with seeing or talking. These symptoms can be helped by having sugar or sweet drinks.

Do not take Diabrezide 80mg Tablets if:

• you are allergic to gliclazide or any of the other ingredients in Diabrezide 80mg Tablets

• you are allergic to ‘sulphonylureas’, ‘sulphonamides’ or any other similar medicines

• you have used ‘sulphonylureas’ before, but they have stopped working for you

• you have ‘Type 1 diabetes’ (this is when you need to use insulin to control your diabetes)

• you have a very high blood sugar which is life threatening (‘diabetic ketoacidosis’)

• you are going to have an operation, have recently had a serious accident or been very stressed

• you have a serious infection

• you have a severe liver or kidney problem

• the patient is unconscious or in a coma (diabetic coma)

• the patient is a child.

Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking your medicine if:

• you are on or are planning to go on a special diet, such as a low calorie diet

• you exercise a lot

• you have an untreated ‘thyroid’ problem

• you have moderate liver or kidney problems. You will need to be monitored more.

• you are elderly, ill or very thin. You will need to be monitored more.

Taking other medicines

Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines. This includes medicines you get without a prescription, including herbal medicines.

Some medicines may increase the effect of Diabrezide 80mg Tablets. This can cause low blood sugar. These medicines include:

  • other medicines for diabetes such as ‘insulin’, ‘acarbose’, ‘biguanides’ or other ‘sulphonylureas’
  • medicines used to thin the blood such as ‘coumarins’
  • medicines used to lower uric acid such as ‘allopurinol’
  • medicines used to lower cholesterol (‘fibrates’)
  • medicines for depression called ‘Mono Amine Oxidase Inhibitors’ (MAOIs)
  • medicines for heart problems such as ‘beta blockers’
  • some medicines for high blood pressure (‘ACE inhibitors’)
  • some medicines for fungal and bacterial infections such as ‘miconazole’, ‘ketoconazole’ or ‘chloramphenicol’
  • anti-bacterial medicines called ‘sulphonamides’
  • a medicine for cancer called ‘cyclophosphamide’
  • caffeine which you get in some medicines for migraine and coffee, tea or some fizzy drinks
  • ‘theophyline’ used for asthma
  • anti-inflammatory medicines such as aspirin or ‘phenylbutazone’
  • anabolic steroids
  • male sex hormones.

Some medicines may lower the effect of Diabrezide 80mg Tablets. This can raise your blood sugar. These medicines include:

  • medicines that raise blood pressure in serious conditions of low blood pressure such as ‘diazoxide’
  • some medicines for epilepsy such as ‘phenytoin’ or ‘barbiturates’
  • corticosteroids or corticotropin
  • female sex hormones
  • oral contraceptives
  • thyroid hormones
  • water tablets (‘diuretics’)
  • ‘phenothiazine’ used for mental problems 
  • ‘rifampicin’ used for tuberculosis (TB).
  • Cimetidine and ranitidine may either increase or lower blood sugar.

Taking Diabrezide 80mg Tablets with food and alcohol

Do not skip meals or start a special diet while taking Diabrezide 80mg Tablets. This is because if you eat less food than normal, your blood sugar will become too low.

Take the medicine 30 minutes before meals.

Talk to your doctor about drinking alcohol with this medicine. This is because drinking alcohol can affect how well your diabetes is controlled.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding

Do not take Diabrezide 80mg Tablets if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Driving and using machines

You may feel less alert while taking Diabrezide 80mg Tablets. If this happens do not drive or use any tools or machines. This is more likely to happen if your diabetes is not controlled properly. Make sure your blood sugar is not low before you drive.

Diabrezide 80mg Tablets contains lactose. If you have been told by your doctor that you cannot tolerate or digest some sugars (have an intolerance to some sugars), talk to your doctor before taking this medicine.

Possible side effects

  • low blood sugar (hypo-glycaemia) - signs may include sweating, looking pale, feeling cold, shivering, a fast heart beat, temporary difficulty with seeing or talking. If this happens, tell your doctor or go to hospital straight away
  • feeling sick, being sick, stomach pain, diarrhoea or constipation.
  • These side effects can be lowered if you take this medicine 30 minutes before meals.
  • feeling dizzy
  • headaches
  • skin rashes or reddening of the skin

For more information on the risks associated with this medicine or the side effects of this medicine, please read the patient information leaflet included with this medicine.

References:

  1. https://www.hpra.ie/img/uploaded/swedocuments/2177855.PA0925_001_001.77375bd4-2852-4ecb-8e21-0b910f734fe0.000001Product%20Leaflet%20Approved.160627.pdf
  2. https://www.hpra.ie/img/uploaded/swedocuments/Licence_PA0925-001-001_09102019143750.pdf
  3. https://www.drugs.com/uk/diabrezide-leaflet.html
  4. https://www.ndrugs.com/?s=diabrezide

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