glimepiride
Brand names: Amaryl
Glimepiride is a medicine that helps lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. It works along with diet and exercise.
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.03/unit
Generic Available
Yes (7 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Glimepiride is used to help control blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Common side effects
Low blood sugar, Headache, Nausea
Key warnings
Glimepiride can cause low blood sugar, which can be severe.
How It Works
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.
How to Take It
Take glimepiride once a day with breakfast or your first meal. The usual starting dose is 1 mg or 2 mg. Your doctor may increase your dose by 1 mg or 2 mg every 1 to 2 weeks. The highest recommended dose is 8 mg per day.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
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.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time.
Storage
Store glimepiride at room temperature, away from heat and moisture.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 18,161 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 37,936 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2003–2025.
Total Reports
37,936
Death-Related Reports
3,187
Hospitalization Reports
13,533
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BLOOD GLUCOSE INCREASED | 2,970 |
| 2 | NAUSEA | 2,276 |
| 3 | DIARRHOEA | 2,169 |
| 4 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 1,917 |
| 5 | FATIGUE | 1,827 |
| 6 | HYPOGLYCAEMIA | 1,639 |
| 7 | WEIGHT DECREASED | 1,391 |
| 8 | DIZZINESS | 1,365 |
| 9 | DYSPNOEA | 1,319 |
| 10 | VOMITING | 1,287 |
| 11 | ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 1,214 |
| 12 | ASTHENIA | 1,196 |
| 13 | DECREASED APPETITE | 1,147 |
| 14 | FALL | 1,071 |
| 15 | OFF LABEL USE | 1,058 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
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.
Known Drug Interactions
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.
Mechanism: Albuterol can cause blood sugar levels to rise, which works against the effects of the diabetes medicine glimepiride.
What to do: Monitor your blood sugar levels more often, as your doctor may need to adjust your diabetes medication.
The following are examples of medications that may increase the glucose-lowering effect of sulfonylureas including glimepiride, increasing the susceptibility to and/or intensity of hypoglycemia: oral anti-diabetic medications, pramlintide acetate, insulin, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, H 2 receptor antagonists, fibrates, propoxyphene, pentoxifylline, somatostatin analogs, anabolic steroids and androgens, cyclophosphamide, phenyramidol, guanethidine, fluconazole, sulfinpyrazone, tetracyclines, clarithromycin, disopyramide, quinolones, and those drugs that are highly protein...
Mechanism: Fluoxetine can increase the effects of glimepiride, which may cause your blood sugar to drop to dangerously low levels.
What to do: Watch for signs of low blood sugar and check your levels frequently while taking these medicines together.
Beta-blockers, clonidine, and reserpine may lead to either potentiation or weakening of glimepiride’s glucose-lowering effect. The signs of hypoglycemia may be reduced or absent in patients taking sympatholytic drugs such as beta-blockers, clonidine, guanethidine, and reserpine.
Mechanism: Clonidine can change how your body responds to blood sugar and may hide the normal warning signs of low blood sugar, like a fast heartbeat.
What to do: Be extra careful when checking your blood sugar, because you might not feel the usual symptoms if it drops too low.
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.
Mechanism: Olanzapine can make glimepiride less effective at lowering blood sugar, which might cause your blood sugar levels to rise.
What to do: Monitor your blood sugar levels closely and talk to your doctor, as they may need to adjust your glimepiride dose.
The following are examples of medications that may increase the glucose-lowering effect of sulfonylureas including glimepiride, increasing the susceptibility to and/or intensity of hypoglycemia: oral anti-diabetic medications, pramlintide acetate, insulin, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, H 2 receptor antagonists, fibrates, propoxyphene, pentoxifylline, somatostatin analogs, anabolic steroids and androgens, cyclophosphamide, phenyramidol, guanethidine, fluconazole, sulfinpyrazone, tetracyclines, clarithromycin, disopyramide, quinolones, and those drugs that are highly protein...
Mechanism: Fluconazole can increase the effect of glimepiride, which makes it more likely for your blood sugar to drop to a dangerously low level.
What to do: Watch for signs of low blood sugar and consult your doctor about potentially lowering your glimepiride dosage.
Common Questions
What should I do if I feel shaky or sweaty?
Can I drink alcohol while taking glimepiride?
Will glimepiride cure my diabetes?
What other medicines can affect glimepiride?
How often should I check my blood sugar?
Can glimepiride cause weight gain?
What if I need surgery?
Can I stop taking glimepiride if my blood sugar is good?
Does glimepiride interact with any foods?
What are the symptoms of high blood sugar?
What are the common side effects of glimepiride?
Does glimepiride interact with other medications?
What drug class is glimepiride?
Is glimepiride safe during pregnancy?
Has glimepiride been recalled?
Active Recalls
Misprint on tablet
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Inc.
cGMP Deviations for the manufacturing Firm (Accord Healthcare) after their inspection.
Preferred Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
CGMP Deviations
Northwind Pharmaceuticals LLC
Related Medications in Sulfonylurea
Other drugs grouped near glimepiride — same-class peers and common alternatives.
acarbose
Precose
Acarbose is a medicine that helps lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
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alogliptin
Nesina
Alogliptin and Metformin HCl is a drug that helps lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
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bromocriptine
Cycloset
Bromocriptine (Cycloset) is a medicine that acts like dopamine in your body.
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canagliflozin
Invokana
Invokana is a medicine used with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Compare with glimepiride →
colesevelam
Welchol
Colesevelam is a medicine that helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL-C) and control blood sugar in adults.
Compare with glimepiride →
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What the FDA Data Shows for glimepiride
The FDA label for glimepiride (sold under brand names such as Amaryl) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Sulfonylurea class. Glimepiride is used to help control blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. Official labeling lists 4 commonly reported side effects, including Low blood sugar, Headache, Nausea.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 18,161 voluntary reports. The database also lists 16 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.03.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history (currently 3 recall records on file), and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: November 13, 2024
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages