Details

Repaglinide is an oral diabetes medicine that helps control blood sugar levels by causing the pancreas to produce insulin. Repaglinide is used together with diet and exercise to treat type 2 diabetes. Other diabetes medicines are sometimes used in combination with repaglinide if needed. You should not use repaglinide if you are allergic to it, or if you have type 1 diabetes severe liver disease if you also take gemfibrozil or if you are in a state of diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment with insulin). To make sure repaglinide is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have liver disease or if you also take metformin or other diabetes medicines.

Typical Uses

Repaglinide is used alone or with other medications to control high blood sugar along with a proper diet and exercise program. It is used in people with type 2 diabetes. Controlling high blood sugar helps prevent kidney damage, blindness, nerve problems, loss of limbs, and sexual function problems. Proper control of diabetes may also lessen your risk of a heart attack or stroke. It works by stimulating the body to produce more insulin. Insulin is a natural substance that allows the body to properly use sugar from the diet.

Side Effects

Common repaglinide side effects may include severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting, fast heart rate pale or yellowed skin, dark coloured urine, fever, confusion or weakness or severe skin reaction-fever, sore throat, swelling in your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the face or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

Drug Interactions

• Repaglinide+clopidogrel- Using repaglinide together with clopidogrel is not recommended. Combining these medications can increase the blood levels of repaglinide to dangerous levels, which can lead to severe hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar. Symptoms of hypoglycaemia include headache, dizziness, drowsiness, nervousness, weakness, tremor, nausea, hunger, sweating, and palpitation.
• Repaglinide+gatifloxacin- Gatifloxacin can affect blood glucose levels and should not be used in patients with diabetes. Both hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) and, less frequently, hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose) have been reported. Severe cases of hypoglycaemia during treatment with gatifloxacin have resulted in coma and even death.
• Repaglinide+gemfibrozil- Using repaglinide together with gemfibrozil is not recommended. Combining these medications can increase the blood levels of repaglinide to dangerous levels, which can lead to severe hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar. Symptoms of hypoglycaemia include headache, dizziness, drowsiness, nervousness, weakness, tremor, nausea, hunger, sweating, and palpitation.

Mechanism of action

Repaglinide stimulates the pancreas to release more amount of the hormone insulin, which keeps the blood sugar level in control.

Pregnancy Category : C