Glipizide Alternatives

If you find that it is not effective or that side effects are bothersome with glipizide, alternatives are available for type 2 diabetes, including lifestyle changes and other oral or injectable diabetes medications. Lifestyle changes include weight loss, getting more physical activity, and making changes to your diet. Medications that may be used as glipizide alternatives range from sulfonylureas to biguanides to meglitinides.

 

An Introduction to Glipizide Alternatives

Glipizide (Glucotrol®) and glipizide extended release (Glucotrol XL®) are prescription medications used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. For most people, glipizide is effective in treating their diabetes, and most people tolerate it quite well. However, as with all medicines, side effects can occur, or the medicine may not completely control diabetes. Fortunately, there are several alternatives to glipizide for type 2 diabetes.
 
Some of these alternatives include:
 
  • Lifestyle changes
  • Other oral diabetes medications (see Diabetes Medication)
  • Insulin and other injectable diabetes medications.
     

Glipizide Alternatives: Lifestyle Changes

Many lifestyle changes have been shown to be very effective in controlling type 2 diabetes (especially early type 2 diabetes).
 These lifestyle changes include:
 
 
In fact, these changes are important for all people with type 2 diabetes, including people taking diabetes medications.
 
For some people, lifestyle changes alone may not be enough to adequately control type 2 diabetes. In these cases, medications (including oral and injectable medications) may be necessary.
 
(Glipizide Alternatives Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;