Glucotrol

Overview

About Glucotrol

Even people with well-controlled diabetes may find that injury, infection, surgery, or fever results in a lack of control over their diabetes. In these cases, the physician may recommend that you stop taking Glucotrol temporarily and use insulin instead.

Glucotrol may not work well in patients with poor kidney or liver function.

In addition, the effectiveness of any oral antidiabetic, including Glucotrol, may decrease with time. This may occur because of either a diminished responsiveness to the medication or a worsening of the diabetes.

Be careful taking the extended-release form of the drug, Glucotrol XL, if you have any narrowing in your stomach or intestines. Also, if you have any stomach or intestinal disease, Glucotrol XL may not work as well.

Possible food and drug interactions when taking Glucotrol

It is essential that you closely follow your physician's dietary guidelines and that you inform your physician of any medication, either prescription or nonprescription, that you are taking. Specific medications that affect Glucotrol include:

Airway-opening drugs such as Sudafed
Antacids such as Mylanta
Aspirin
Chloramphenicol (Chloromycetin)
Cimetidine (Tagamet)
Clofibrate (Atromid-S)
Corticosteroids such as prednisone (Deltasone)
Diuretics such as HydroDIURIL
Estrogens such as Premarin
Fluconazole (Diflucan)
Gemfibrozil (Lopid)
Heart and blood pressure medications called beta blockers such as Tenormin and Lopressor
Heart medications called calcium channel blockers such as Cardizem and Procardia XL
Isoniazid (Rifamate, Rimactane)
Itraconazole (Sporanox)
MAO inhibitors (antidepressant drugs such as Nardil and Parnate)
Major tranquilizers such as Thorazine and Mellaril
Miconazole (Monistat)
Nicotinic acid (Nicobid)
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Motrin and Naprosyn
Oral contraceptives
Phenytoin (Dilantin)
Probenecid (Benemid)
Rifampin (Rifadin)
Sulfa drugs such as Bactrim and Septra
Thyroid medications such as Synthroid
Warfarin (Coumadin)