Glucosafe 5 mg Tablet

Glucosafe 5 mg Tablet is a prescription diabetes medicine that contains 5 mg of glibenclamide in each tablet. It belongs to the sulfonylurea class, which helps lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. Glucosafe 5 mg Tablet is used along with diet, exercise, and other diabetes care to improve glucose control. It is made by Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and supplied in a strip/box of 10 tablets.

How it works: Glibenclamide helps the pancreas release more insulin, which lowers blood sugar after meals and between meals. In this tablet form, the medicine is swallowed and absorbed from the gut, then works systemically to help control blood glucose.

Glucosafe 5 mg Tablet is the higher-strength sibling of Glucosafe 2.5 mg Tablet, so it is not the same as starting on a lower dose. Doctors may choose Glucosafe 5 mg Tablet for patients who need stronger blood sugar lowering after assessing their glucose readings, other medicines, and hypoglycemia risk. Because it has 5 mg in one tablet, it may be more likely than the 2.5 mg strength to cause low blood sugar if taken too aggressively or without food.

• Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• Blood sugar control with diet and exercise
• Add-on therapy when lower doses are not enough
• Improving fasting and post-meal glucose levels

• Swallow Glucosafe 5 mg Tablet whole with water; do not crush or chew unless your doctor specifically tells you to.
• Take it exactly at the time prescribed, usually with a meal or shortly before a meal to reduce the chance of low blood sugar.
• Do not skip meals after taking this tablet, because food helps protect against hypoglycemia.
• If you monitor blood sugar at home, check levels regularly as advised by your clinician.
• Avoid taking an extra tablet to make up for a missed dose; ask your prescriber or pharmacist what to do instead.
• Carry a quick source of sugar with you in case symptoms of low blood sugar occur.

Each Glucosafe 5 mg Tablet provides 5 mg of glibenclamide. The tablet may be taken once daily or in divided doses depending on the treatment plan, and the maximum daily dose is determined by the prescriber; do not change the schedule on your own. This 5 mg strength is for patients who have been assessed by a doctor and need a higher-strength tablet, not for unsupervised dose increases.

Do not change your dose or stop the medicine without speaking to your doctor.

Common side effects of Glibenclamide may include:

• Low blood sugar, especially if meals are delayed or skipped
• Weight gain
• Nausea
• Stomach discomfort
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Skin rash

• Use extra caution with Glucosafe 5 mg Tablet if you are older, have kidney or liver problems, or have a history of severe hypoglycemia.
• Because this is a 5 mg strength, the risk of low blood sugar may be greater than with Glucosafe 2.5 mg Tablet if the dose is not matched to your needs.
• Avoid alcohol or keep it minimal, since it can increase hypoglycemia risk and may mask warning signs.
• Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this tablet affects your alertness and blood sugar.
• Tell your doctor if you have heart disease, are not eating regularly, or are recovering from illness, surgery, or infection.
• Use caution when starting, stopping, or changing other diabetes medicines, because your dose may need adjustment.
• If you develop sweating, shaking, hunger, confusion, or palpitations, treat possible low blood sugar right away as instructed by your healthcare team.

• Alcohol, which can increase the risk of low blood sugar
• Other diabetes medicines, including insulin and other oral agents, which may add to the glucose-lowering effect
• Beta-blockers, which can mask symptoms of hypoglycemia
• Warfarin and some other highly protein-bound drugs, which may change glibenclamide effects
• Certain antibiotics, antifungals, and steroids, which can alter blood sugar control

Store Glucosafe 5 mg Tablet in its original strip/box at room temperature, away from moisture, heat, and direct light, and keep it out of reach of children.