glimepiride vs glucagon
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Side-by-side comparison of glimepiride and glucagon. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
The following are examples of medications that may reduce the glucose-lowering effect of sulfonylureas including glimepiride, leading to worsening glycemic control: danazol, glucagon, somatropin, protease inhibitors, atypical antipsychotic medications (e.g., olanzapine and clozapine), barbiturates, diazoxide, laxatives, rifampin, thiazides and other diuretics, corticosteroids, phenothiazines, thyroid hormones, estrogens, oral contraceptives, phenytoin, nicotinic acid, sympathomimetics (e.g., epinephrine, albuterol, terbutaline), and isoniazid.
Amaryl
Baqsimi, GlucaGen
Glimepiride is a medicine that helps lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. It works along with diet and exercise.
Glucagon is a medicine that helps raise your blood sugar if it gets too low. It can also be used to temporarily slow down your digestive system for certain medical tests.
Glimepiride is used to help control blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. It should be used with a healthy diet and regular exercise. This medicine will not work for type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis.
Glucagon is used to treat very low blood sugar in adults and children who have diabetes. It can also be used to help with some X-ray tests in adults. It does this by slowing down the movement of your stomach and intestines.
Glimepiride helps your body release more insulin. Insulin helps move sugar from your blood into your cells for energy. This lowers your blood sugar levels.
Glucagon works by telling your liver to release stored sugar into your blood. This raises your blood sugar level quickly. It also relaxes the muscles in your stomach and intestines.
- • Low blood sugar
- • Headache
- • Nausea
- • Dizziness
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Weakness
- Blood Glucose Increased 2,970
- Nausea 2,276
- Diarrhoea 2,169
- Fatigue 1,827
- Hypoglycaemia 1,639
- Dyspnoea 354
- Acute Kidney Injury 313
- Hypotension 286
- Hypoglycaemia 268
- Condition Aggravated 244
Glimepiride can cause low blood sugar, which can be severe. Be careful when driving or operating machinery. If you have an allergic reaction, stop taking glimepiride right away. People with a certain enzyme problem (G6PD deficiency) may get anemia.
You should not take this medicine if you have a tumor in your adrenal gland called pheochromocytoma. It can cause a large increase in blood pressure. Also, you should not take it if you have a tumor called insulinoma, as it can cause low blood sugar. Do not take if you are allergic to glucagon.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Glimepiride may not be safe for your baby. It is usually stopped 2 weeks before delivery.
Studies haven't shown any risk to the baby during pregnancy. Glucagon is not expected to cause harm to a breastfeeding infant because it will be broken down in the baby's stomach.
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How to Read This glimepiride vs glucagon Comparison
glimepiride is classified in the Sulfonylurea drug class, while glucagon sits within the Glucagon (Hypoglycemia Rescue) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, glimepiride has 10,881 submissions while glucagon has 1,465. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to glucagon is used to raise blood sugar, so it works against glimepiride's ability to lower it.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for glimepiride or glucagon.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.