Consumer medicine information

Diapride

glimepiride


Consumer Medicine Information

What is in this leaflet

This leaflet answers some common questions about DIAPRIDE.

It does not contain all of the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor, pharmacist or diabetes educator.

All medicines have benefits and risks. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking DIAPRIDE against the benefits they expect it will have for you.

Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or diabetes educator if you have any concerns about taking this medicine.

Keep this leaflet with your medicine. You may need to read it again.

What DIAPRIDE is used for

DIAPRIDE is used to control blood glucose in patients with diabetes mellitus.

There are two types of diabetes mellitus:

  • type 1, also called insulin dependent diabetes
  • type 2, also called non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or maturity onset diabetes.

DIAPRIDE is used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is used when diet and exercise are not enough to control your blood glucose levels.

It is available only with a doctor’s prescription.

How DIAPRIDE works

DIAPRIDE belongs to a group of medicines called sulphonylureas. The medicine lowers blood glucose by increasing the amount of insulin produced by your pancreas.

If your blood glucose is not properly controlled, you may experience hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) or hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose).

Hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) can occur suddenly. Signs may include:

  • weakness, trembling or shaking
  • sweating
  • lightheadedness, dizziness, headache, lack of concentration
  • irritability, tearfulness, crying
  • hunger
  • numbness around the lips and tongue.

If not treated promptly, these may progress to:

  • loss of co-ordination
  • slurred speech
  • confusion
  • fits or loss of consciousness.

Hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose) usually occurs more slowly than hypoglycaemia. Signs may include:

  • lethargy or tiredness
  • headache
  • thirst
  • passing large amounts of urine
  • blurred vision.

Hyperglycaemia can lead to serious problems with your heart, eyes, circulation or kidneys.

Before you take it

When you must not take it

Do not take DIAPRIDE if you are allergic to:

  • medicines containing glimepiride or any other sulphonylureas
  • sulphonamide (sulphur) antibiotics
  • thiazide diuretics
  • any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction to DIAPRIDE may include skin rash, itchiness, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing.

Do not take DIAPRIDE if you have any of the following medical conditions:

  • type 1 diabetes mellitus
  • unstable diabetes
  • diabetic acidosis
  • diabetic coma or pre-coma
  • severe kidney disease or undergoing dialysis
  • severe liver disease.

Ask your doctor if you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine.

Do not take DIAPRIDE if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Insulin is more suitable for controlling blood glucose during pregnancy. Your doctor will replace DIAPRIDE with insulin while you are pregnant.

Do not take it if you are breastfeeding. This medicine can pass into breast milk and may harm your baby.

Do not take it if the expiry date (Exp.) printed on the pack has passed.

Do not take it if the packaging shows signs of tampering or the tablets do not look quite right.

Before you start to take it

Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes or preservatives.

Tell your doctor if you have any medical conditions, especially the following:

  • liver problems
  • kidney problems
  • a history of diabetic coma
  • adrenal, pituitary or thyroid problems
  • heart failure
  • glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.

Tell your doctor if:

  • you drink alcohol in any amount
  • you do not eat regular meals
  • you do a lot of exercise or you do heavy exercise at work
  • you are ill or feeling unwell

Alcohol, diet, exercise and your general health all strongly affect the control of your diabetes.

Discuss this with your doctor.

If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you start taking DIAPRIDE.

Taking other medicines

Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including those you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

Some medicines may lead to low blood glucose (hypoglycaemia) by increasing the blood glucose-lowering effect of DIAPRIDE. These include:

  • alcohol
  • other medicines used to treat diabetes
  • anabolic steroids
  • some antibiotics
  • some antidepressants
  • some medicines used to treat reflux and stomach ulcers
  • some anti-inflammatory agents, such as ibuprofen and naproxen
  • some medicines used to treat arthritis and gout
  • some blood pressure lowing medicines, such as beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors
  • medicines used to prevent or treat blood clots, blood vessel problems, and irregular heart rhythms
  • some cholesterol-lowering and weight reduction medicines
  • some cancer and organ transplant treatments.

Some medicines may lead to loss of control of your diabetes by weakening the blood glucose-lowering effects of DIAPRIDE. These include:

  • alcohol
  • some antibiotics such as rifampicin
  • some blood pressure, cholesterol and heart medications
  • some medicines used to treat reflux and stomach ulcers
  • thyroid medication
  • some medicines used to treat epilepsy
  • corticosteroids, glucagon, adrenaline and other hormonal therapies
  • oral contraceptives
  • some asthma medicines, preparations for coughs and colds, and weight reduction medicines
  • some fluid and glaucoma medications
  • large loses of laxatives
  • some psychiatric and sedating medications

DIAPRIDE may change the effects of other medicines. These include:

  • coumarin derivatives, which are used to prevent blood clots.

Some medicines may hide the symptoms of low blood glucose (hypoglycaemia). These include:

  • alcohol
  • certain heart medications, such as beta-blockers

You may need different amounts of your medicine or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor, pharmacist, or diabetes educator can tell you what to do if you are taking any of these medicines. They also have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking DIAPRIDE.

If you are not sure whether you are taking any of these medicines, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

How to take DIAPRIDE

Follow all directions given to you by your doctor, pharmacist or diabetes educator carefully. They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.

How much to take

The dose varies from patient to patient. Your doctor will decide the right dose for you.

The usual starting dose for adults is one 1 mg tablet each day. Your doctor may increase this dose up to four tablets a day, depending on your blood glucose levels.

How to take DIAPRIDE

Swallow the tablets with a glass of water. Do not chew tablets.

It should be taken immediately before a meal. If you only eat a light breakfast, you should delay taking the tablet until the first main meal of the day (eg. lunch).

If you forget to take DIAPRIDE

If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to.

Otherwise, take the missed dose as soon as you remember (immediately before food), and then go back to taking your tablets as you would normally.

Skipping a dose may result in hyperglycaemia. If you experience any symptoms of hyperglycaemia, contact your doctor immediately.

Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed. If you double a dose, this may cause low blood glucose.

If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

How long to take it for

Keep taking this medicine for as long as your doctor recommends.

DIAPRIDE will help control diabetes but will not cure it. Most people will need to take it for long periods of time.

If you take too much DIAPRIDE (overdose)

Immediately telephone your doctor, or the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26, or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much DIAPRIDE. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.

If you take too much DIAPRIDE, you may experience symptoms of hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose).

If you do experience any symptoms of hypoglycaemia, raise your blood glucose quickly by eating jelly beans, sugar or honey, drinking non-diet soft drink or taking glucose tablets.

While you are taking it

Things you must do

Before starting any new medicine, tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are taking DIAPRIDE.

Tell all the doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking DIAPRIDE.

If you become pregnant while taking DIAPRIDE, tell your doctor immediately.

Make sure that you, your friends, family and work colleagues can recognise the signs of hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia and know how to treat them. Provide them with the telephone number for your doctor, the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26 in Australia) and Emergency Services.

If you experience any of the symptoms of hypoglycaemia, you need to raise your blood glucose immediately.

You can do this by doing one of the following:

  • eating 5-7 jelly beans
  • eating 3 teaspoons of sugar or honey
  • drinking half a can of non-diet soft drink
  • taking 2-3 concentrated glucose tablets.

Unless you are within 10 to 15 minutes of your next meal or snack, follow up with extra carbohydrates such as plain biscuits, fruit or milk. Taking this extra carbohydrate will prevent a second drop in your blood glucose level.

Always carry some sugary food or drink with you. Diet and low calorie soft drinks do NOT contain sugar and are unsuitable to take for hypoglycaemia.

If you are elderly or are taking other medicines for diabetes, the risk of hypoglycaemia is increased.

The risk of hypoglycaemia is also increased in the following situations:

  • too much DIAPRIDE
  • too much or unexpected exercise
  • delayed meal or snack
  • too little food.

If you experience any symptoms of hyperglycaemia, contact your doctor immediately.

The risk of hyperglycaemia is increased in the following situations:

  • uncontrolled diabetes
  • illness, infection or stress
  • taking less DIAPRIDE than prescribed
  • taking certain other medicines
  • too little exercise
  • sudden immobilisation e.g. after an accident
  • eating more carbohydrates than normal.

Tell your doctor if any of the following happen:

  • you become ill
  • you become dehydrated
  • you are injured
  • you have a fever
  • you have a serious infection
  • you are having surgery.

Your blood glucose may become difficult to control at these times. Your doctor may decide to replace DIAPRIDE with insulin.

Visit your doctor regularly for check ups and make sure you check your blood glucose levels regularly. This is the best way to tell if your diabetes is being controlled properly. Your doctor or diabetes educator will show you how and when to do this.

Carefully follow your doctor’s and dietitian’s advice on diet, drinking alcohol and exercise.

Things you must not do

Do not skip meals while taking DIAPRIDE.

Do not stop taking DIAPRIDE or change the dose without checking with your doctor.

Do not give DIAPRIDE to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.

Things to be careful of

Protect your skin when you are outdoors or in the sun, especially between 10 am and 3 pm. Wear protective clothing and use a 15+ sunscreen. If your skin appears to be burning, tell your doctor immediately. DAIPRIDE may cause your skin to be more sensitive to sunlight than it is normally. Exposure to sunlight may cause skin rash, itching, redness or severe sunburn.

If you have to be alert, e.g. when driving, be especially careful not to let your blood glucose levels fall too low. Low blood glucose levels may slow your reaction time and affect your ability to drive or operate machinery. Drinking alcohol can make this worse. However, DIAPRIDE by itself is unlikely to affect how you drive or operate machinery.

Make sure you know how you react to DIAPRIDE before you drive a car, operate machinery or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or lightheaded. If this occurs, do not drive.

If you are travelling, it is a good idea to:

  • wear some form of identification showing you have diabetes
  • carry some form of sugar to treat hypoglycaemia if it occurs e.g. sugar sachets or jelly beans
  • carry emergency food rations in case of delay e.g. dried fruit, biscuits or muesli bars
  • keep DIAPRIDE readily available.

If you become sick with a cold, fever or flu, it is important to continue taking DIAPRIDE, even if you feel unable to eat your normal meal. If you have trouble eating solid foods, use sugar-sweetened drinks as a carbohydrate substitute or eat some small amounts of bland food. Your diabetes educator or dietician can give you a list of food to use for sick days.

Side effects

Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking DIAPRIDE. DIAPRIDE helps most people with diabetes but it may have unwanted side effects in some people.

All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.

Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.

Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:

  • signs to hypoglycaemia, which may include weakness, trembling or shaking, sweating, light-headedness, headache, dizziness, lack of concentration, tearfulness or crying, irritability, hunger and numbness around the lips and fingers
  • stomach upset including nausea and vomiting
  • abdominal pain or discomfort, diarrhoea, or a feeling of fullness in the stomach
  • eye problems including blurred or double vision.

Tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency if you notice any of the following symptoms:

  • rash, sores, redness or itching of the skin, itchy hives-like rash or spots
  • symptoms of sunburn such as redness, itching, swelling or blistering which may occur more quickly than normal
  • bleeding or bruising more easily than normal, or reddish or purplish blotches under the skin
  • yellowing of the skin or eyes, also called jaundice
  • signs of frequent or worrying infections, such as fever, severe chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers
  • signs of anaemia, such as tiredness, being short of breath and looking pale.

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people. Tell your doctor if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.

After using DIAPRIDE

Storage

Keep DIAPRIDE where children cannot reach it. A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.

Keep your tablets in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.

Do not keep DIAPRIDE in a car, on a window sill, in a bathroom or near a sink. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.

Disposal

If your doctor tells you to stop taking DIAPRIDE, or your tablets have passed their expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any that are left over.

Product description

What it looks like

DIAPRIDE comes in 4 strengths of tablets:

  • DIAPRIDE 1 – pink, round tablet, G1 on one side and plain on the other
  • DIAPRIDE 2 – green, capsule-shaped tablet, G2, scoreline, G2 on one side and scoreline on the other
  • DIAPRIDE 3 –pale yellow, capsule-shaped tablet, G3, scoreline, G3 on one side and scoreline on the other
  • DIAPRIDE 4 –blue, capsule- shaped tablet, G4, scoreline, G4 on one side and scoreline on the other.

Each pack contains 30 tablets.

Ingredients

The active ingredient in DIAPRIDE is glimepiride:

  • each DIAPRIDE 1 tablet contains 1 mg of glimepiride
  • each DIAPRIDE 2 tablet contains 2 mg of glimepiride
  • each DIAPRIDE 3 tablet contains 3 mg of glimepiride
  • each DIAPRIDE 4 tablet contains 4 mg of glimepiride.

The tablets also contain:

  • lactose monohydrate
  • microcrystalline cellulose
  • povidone
  • sodium starch glycollate
  • magnesium stearate
  • iron oxide red CI77491 (1 mg tablets) (172)
  • iron oxide yellow CI77492 (2 mg, 3 mg tablets) (172)
  • indigo carmine CI73015 (2 mg, 4 mg tablets) (120).

The tablets do not contain gluten, sucrose, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.

Supplier

Arrow Pharma Pty Ltd
15 – 17 Chapel Street
Cremorne VIC 3121

Australian registration numbers:

DIAPRIDE 1: Aust R 107344

DIAPRIDE 2: Aust R 107345

DIAPRIDE 3: Aust R 107346

DIAPRIDE 4: Aust R 107347

This leaflet was revised in October 2018

Published by MIMS December 2018