Are There Glipizide Uses for Type 1 Diabetes?
Most people make insulin in their
pancreas, including those with
type 2 diabetes. However, in people with
type 1 diabetes, the body does not make insulin (or not enough to control blood sugar levels). As mentioned,
glipizide causes the cells inside the pancreas to make more insulin. If insulin-producing cells do not work, as in the case with type 1
diabetes, glipizide will not be effective. This is the reason that glipizide is not used to treat type 1 diabetes. Instead, a person with type 1 diabetes needs to take insulin medication.
Glipizide as Part of Diabetes Treatment
The main goal of any
diabetes treatment is to lower your blood sugar levels (as measured by your hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c]) enough to reduce your risk for developing problems related to diabetes
(see Diabetes Complications).
Treatment for type 2 diabetes typically begins with lifestyle changes (weight loss, a diabetic diet, and exercise). If lifestyle changes alone are not effective in
managing diabetes,
diabetes drugs, such as glipizide, may be necessary.
To learn more about controlling diabetes through lifestyle choices, click any of the following eMedTV links:
Glipizide Uses in Children
Glipizide has not been adequately studied in children. Talk to your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of using glipizide in children with type 2 diabetes.
On occasion, your healthcare provider may recommend glipizide for something other than the condition discussed in this article. This is called an "
off-label" use. At this time, there are no universally accepted off-label uses for glipizide.
Previous
Add this article to your Favorites
Email this article
Print