Metaglip Uses

Metaglip uses include decreasing the amount of sugar made by the liver and helping the pancreas to produce more insulin in people with type 2 diabetes. As a result, blood sugar levels are reduced, as is the risk of problems related to diabetes, such as diabetic impotence, kidney failure, and heart disease. The drug has not been approved for use in children, and there are no off-label Metaglip uses.

Metaglip Uses: An Overview

Metaglip® (glipizide and metformin) is a prescription medication that is used to treat type 2 diabetes. It is a combination of two different diabetes medications: glipizide (Glucotrol® or Glucotrol XL®) and metformin hydrochloride (Fortamet®, Glucophage®, Glucophage XR®, Glumetza®, or Riomet®).
 

Metaglip Uses for Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2
 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes (see Diabetes Types). It is also sometimes called adult-onset diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a condition involving insulin resistance. With insulin resistance, the cells of the body do not respond to insulin as well as they normally should. As a result, the cells do not take sugar out of the blood very well. This is why people with type 2 diabetes have high blood sugar.
 
Over time, high blood sugar can lead to a number of problems, including diabetic impotence, diabetic neuropathy, kidney failure, and heart disease (see Diabetes Complications). The cause of type 2 diabetes is not fully understood, although it is known that obesity and genetics play an important role.
 
Metaglip may be prescribed when lifestyle changes alone (such as weight loss, diet, and exercise) are not enough to lower blood sugar. The two medications in Metaglip work differently and have different effects in the body:
 
  • Glipizide is part of a class of diabetes medications called sulfonylureas. A sulfonylurea, such as glipizide, helps the pancreas make more insulin. It also helps the body respond to insulin better, which helps to lower blood sugar and keep it under better control.
     
  • Metformin works in several ways. It decreases the amount of sugar (glucose) made by the liver. It can also decrease the amount of sugar absorbed into the body from the diet and can make insulin receptors more sensitive, helping the body respond to its own insulin better. All of these effects cause a decrease in blood sugar levels.
     
In some people, Metaglip may need to be combined with other diabetes medicines. For example, if type 2 diabetes is untreated for a very long time, the pancreas may not be able to make enough insulin anymore. In these people, Metaglip alone will not be effective, and insulin will need to be taken along with Metaglip.
 

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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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