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The following information should be provided to patients:

• GLYSET (miglitol) should be taken orally three times a day at the start (with the first bite) of each main meal. It is important to continue to adhere to dietary instructions, a regular exercise program, and regular testing of urine and/or blood glucose.
• GLYSET (miglitol) itself does not cause hypoglycemia even when administered to patients in the fasted state. Sulfonylurea drugs and insulin, however, can lower blood sugar levels enough to cause symptoms or sometimes life-threatening hypoglycemia. Because GLYSET (miglitol) given in combination with a sulfonylurea or insulin will cause a further lowering of blood sugar, it may increase the hypoglycemic potential of these agents. The risk of hypoglycemia, its symptoms and treatment, and conditions that predispose to its development should be well understood by patients and responsible family members. Because GLYSET (miglitol) prevents the breakdown of table sugar, a source of glucose (dextrose, D-glucose) should be readily available to treat symptoms of low blood sugar when taking GLYSET (miglitol) in combination with a sulfonylurea or insulin.
• If side effects occur with GLYSET (miglitol) , they usually develop during the first few weeks of therapy. They are most commonly mild-to-moderate dose-related gastrointestinal effects, such as flatulence, soft stools, diarrhea, or abdominal discomfort, and they generally diminish in frequency and intensity with time. Discontinuation of drug usually results in rapid resolution of these gastrointestinal symptoms.

Physician Counseling Information for Patients

In initiating treatment for type 2 diabetes, diet should be emphasized as the primary form of treatment. Caloric restriction and weight loss are essential in the obese diabetic patient. Proper dietary management alone may be effective in controlling the blood glucose and symptoms of hyperglycemia. The importance of regular physical activity should also be stressed, and cardiovascular risk factors should be identified and corrective measures taken where possible. Use of GLYSET (miglitol) or other antidiabetic medications must be viewed by both the physician and patient as a treatment in addition to diet and not as a substitution or as a convenient mechanism for avoiding dietary restraint. Furthermore, loss of blood glucose control on diet alone may be transient, thus requiring only short-term administration of GLYSET (miglitol) or other antidiabetic medications. Maintenance or discontinuation of GLYSET (miglitol) or other antidiabetic medications should be based on clinical judgment using regular clinical and laboratory evaluations.

Last reviewed on RxList: 6/8/2009
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.