Glimepiride (cont.)

What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Glimepiride?

Common side effects of Glimepiride include:

• low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• dizziness
• weakness
• headache
• nausea
• allergic skin reactions
• reddening of the skin
• rash
• severe itching
• hives
• diarrhea
• gastrointestinal pain
• vomiting
• decreased immunity
• low red blood cells
• reduced blood cells (aplastic anemia)
• reduced white blood cells (leukopenia)
• deficiency in the blood of red cells, white cells and platelets (pancytopenia)
• low blood platelet count (thrombocytopenia)
• reduction of bile flow (cholestasis)
• elevation of liver enzyme levels
• kidney enzyme deficiency reactions
• disulfiram-like reactions (flushing, fast heartbeat, nausea, thirst, chest pain, spinning sensation [vertigo], and low blood pressure)
• low sodium levels
• weight gain

Rare side effects of Glimepiride include:

• yellowing skin and eyes (jaundice)

Post marketing side effects of Glimepiride reported include:

• serious hypersensitivity reactions, including severe allergic reaction, rapid swelling (angioedema), and Stevens-Johnson Syndrome
• destruction of red blood cells (hemolytic anemia) in patients with and without G6PD deficiency
• liver impairment (reduction of bile flow, jaundice), as well as hepatitis, which may progress to liver failure
• blistering skin lesions (porphyria cutanea tarda), sensitivity to light reactions and allergic inflammation of the blood vessels
• reduced white blood cells (leukopenia), reduced immunity (agranulocytosis), reduced blood cells (aplastic anemia), and pancytopenia
• thrombocytopenia (including severe cases with platelet count under 10,000/mcl) and thrombocytopenic purpura
• kidney enzyme deficiency (hepatic porphyria) reactions and disulfiram-like reactions (flushing, fast heartbeat, nausea, thirst, chest pain, vertigo and low blood pressure)
• low sodium levels (hyponatremia) and water retention (Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone), most often in patients on other medications or have medical conditions known to cause low sodium or increase release of antidiuretic hormone
• distortion of taste (dysgeusia)
• hair loss (alopecia)

This document does not contain all possible side effects and others may occur. Check with your physician for additional information about side effects.