glyburide
Brand names: DiaBeta, Glynase
Glyburide is a medicine that helps lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. It works along with diet and exercise.
Drug Shortage Alert
glyburide is currently listed as to be discontinued by the FDA. Affected manufacturer: Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc..
View all drug shortages →Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.07/unit
Generic Available
Yes (7 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Glyburide is used to help control blood sugar levels in adults who have type 2 diabetes.
Common side effects
Nausea, Heartburn, Fullness in your upper abdomen
Key warnings
Oral diabetes medicines like glyburide may increase your risk of heart problems, compared to treatment with diet alone or diet plus insulin.
How It Works
Glyburide belongs to a class of drugs called sulfonylureas. It works by helping your pancreas release more insulin. Insulin then helps move sugar from your blood into your cells for energy.
How to Take It
Take glyburide with breakfast or your first main meal of the day. The usual starting dose is 2.5 to 5 mg daily. Your doctor may start you on 1.25 mg if you are more sensitive to these types of medicines. Your doctor will check your blood sugar to find the best dose for you. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if glyburide will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
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 continue with your regular schedule.
Storage
Store glyburide tablets at room temperature, between 68° to 77°F, in a tightly closed container.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 15,052 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 23,902 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2003–2025.
Total Reports
23,902
Death-Related Reports
2,123
Hospitalization Reports
8,393
Top Indication
Diabetes Mellitus
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BLOOD GLUCOSE INCREASED | 3,038 |
| 2 | NAUSEA | 2,019 |
| 3 | WEIGHT DECREASED | 1,537 |
| 4 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 1,400 |
| 5 | DIARRHOEA | 1,282 |
| 6 | DIZZINESS | 1,201 |
| 7 | HYPOGLYCAEMIA | 1,171 |
| 8 | BLOOD GLUCOSE DECREASED | 1,163 |
| 9 | FATIGUE | 1,147 |
| 10 | DYSPNOEA | 1,096 |
| 11 | ASTHENIA | 1,046 |
| 12 | VOMITING | 1,022 |
| 13 | PAIN | 947 |
| 14 | MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION | 893 |
| 15 | DECREASED APPETITE | 889 |
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
Oral diabetes medicines like glyburide may increase your risk of heart problems, compared to treatment with diet alone or diet plus insulin. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking glyburide.
Known Drug Interactions
Caution should be used when prescribing with fluvastatin ( 5.1 , 7.3 , 7.4 ) Glyburide: Monitor blood glucose levels when fluvastatin dose is changed ( 7 ) Phenytoin: Monitor plasma phenytoin levels when fluvastatin treatment is initiated or when the dosage is changed ( 7 ) Warfarin and coumarin derivates: Monitor prothrombin times when fluvastatin coadministration is initiated, discontinued, or the dosage changed ( 7 ) 7.1 Cyclosporine Cyclosporine coadministration increases fluvastatin exposure. 7.6 Glyburide Concomitant administration of fluvastatin and glyburide increased glyburide expo...
Mechanism: Fluvastatin can increase the amount of glyburide in your system, which may cause your blood sugar to drop too low.
What to do: You should monitor your blood sugar levels closely. Your doctor may need to adjust your medications if your fluvastatin dose changes.
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Concomitant use with colesevelam hydrochloride may decrease the exposure of the following drugs: Drugs with a narrow therapeutic index (e.g., cyclosporine), phenytoin, thyroid hormone replacement therapy, warfarin, oral contraceptives containing ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone, olmesartan medoxomil, and sulfonylureas (glimepiride, glipizide, glyburide). Examples: Glimepiride, glipizide, and glyburide Oral Vitamin Supplements Clinical Impact: Colesevelam hydrochloride may decrease the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3...
Mechanism: Colesevelam can lower the amount of diabetes medicine your body absorbs into the bloodstream. This can make the medicine less effective at controlling your blood sugar.
What to do: Monitor your blood sugar levels carefully while taking both medications. Your doctor may need to adjust your dose or the timing of your medicine.
Concomitant administration of eprosartan and glyburide in diabetic patients did not affect 24-hour plasma glucose profiles. Eprosartan has been shown to have no effect on the pharmacokinetics of digoxin and the pharmacodynamics of warfarin and glyburide.
Mechanism: Eprosartan does not change how glyburide works to control your blood sugar levels.
What to do: It is safe to take these together, but continue to check your blood sugar levels as your doctor recommends.
Glyburide Etodolac has no apparent pharmacokinetic interaction when administered with glyburide.
Mechanism: These two drugs do not seem to affect how the body processes or removes each other. There is no known interaction between them based on current studies.
What to do: No special changes are usually needed when taking these two drugs together. Continue to follow your doctor's instructions for both medications.
(See CONTRAINDICATIONS and PRECAUTIONS .) Oral hypoglycemics: The effects of fluconazole on the pharmacokinetics of the sulfonylurea oral hypoglycemic agents tolbutamide, glipizide, and glyburide were evaluated in three placebo-controlled studies in normal volunteers. (See PRECAUTIONS .) Glyburide: The AUC and C max of glyburide (5 mg single dose) were significantly increased following the administration of fluconazole in 20 normal male volunteers. Five subjects required oral glucose following the ingestion of glyburide after 7 days of fluconazole administration.
Mechanism: Fluconazole slows down how the body breaks down glyburide, which causes the diabetes medicine to stay in the blood longer. This can lead to blood sugar levels dropping too low.
What to do: Monitor your blood sugar levels very closely for signs of hypoglycemia. Your doctor may need to adjust your glyburide dose while you are taking fluconazole.
Common Questions
What should I do if I feel low blood sugar?
Can I drink alcohol while taking glyburide?
Will glyburide cure my diabetes?
Can I stop taking glyburide if my blood sugar is normal?
Does glyburide interact with other medications?
What happens if I take too much glyburide?
How long does it take for glyburide to start working?
Can glyburide cause weight gain?
Are there any foods I should avoid while taking glyburide?
What if colesevelam is coadministered with glyburide?
What are the common side effects of glyburide?
Does glyburide interact with other medications?
What drug class is glyburide?
Is glyburide safe during pregnancy?
Is glyburide currently in shortage?
Related Medications in Sulfonylurea
Other drugs grouped near glyburide — same-class peers and common alternatives.
acarbose
Precose
Acarbose is a medicine that helps lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
Compare with glyburide →
alogliptin
Nesina
Alogliptin and Metformin HCl is a drug that helps lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Compare with glyburide →
bromocriptine
Cycloset
Bromocriptine (Cycloset) is a medicine that acts like dopamine in your body.
Compare with glyburide →
canagliflozin
Invokana
Invokana is a medicine used with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Compare with glyburide →
colesevelam
Welchol
Colesevelam is a medicine that helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL-C) and control blood sugar in adults.
Compare with glyburide →
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What the FDA Data Shows for glyburide
The FDA label for glyburide (sold under brand names such as DiaBeta, Glynase) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Sulfonylurea class. Glyburide is used to help control blood sugar levels in adults who have type 2 diabetes. Official labeling lists 3 commonly reported side effects, including Nausea, Heartburn, Fullness in your upper abdomen.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 15,052 voluntary reports. The database also lists 9 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.07.
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, 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). Shortage status: FDA Drug Shortages Database.
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: January 28, 2025
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