Pioglitazone and Pioglitazone and glimepiride interaction
Pioglitazone and Pioglitazone and glimepiride: both prescribing labels describe an interaction that usually calls for monitoring, a dose change, or spacing the doses.
Usually manageable with monitoring or a dose change. Tell your pharmacist you take both.
What the FDA labels say
From the Pioglitazone (Actos) label · effective 2025-03-28
• Hypoglycemia: When used with insulin or an insulin secretagogue, a lower dose of the insulin or insulin secretagogue may be needed to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia.
Congestive Heart Failure ACTOS, like other thiazolidinediones, can cause dose-related fluid retention when used alone or in combination with other antidiabetic medications and is most common when ACTOS is used in combination with insulin.
Hypoglycemia Patients receiving ACTOS in combination with insulin or other antidiabetic medications (particularly insulin secretagogues such as sulfonylureas) may be at risk for hypoglycemia.
A reduction in the dose of the concomitant antidiabetic medication may be necessary to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia [see Dosage and Administration (2.2) ] .
Macular Edema Macular edema has been reported in postmarketing experience in diabetic patients who were taking ACTOS or another thiazolidinedione.
From the Pioglitazone and glimepiride label · effective 2025-12-12
Congestive Heart Failure Pioglitazone Pioglitazone, like other thiazolidinediones, can cause dose-related fluid retention when used alone or in combination with other antidiabetic medications and is most common when pioglitazone and glimepiride tablets are used in combination with insulin.
Use caution when initiating and increasing pioglitazone and glimepiride tablet doses in patients who may be predisposed to hypoglycemia (e.g., the elderly, patients with renal impairment, patients on other antidiabetic medications).
Although only one drug in the sulfonylurea class (tolbutamide) was included in this study, it is prudent from a safety standpoint to consider that this warning may also apply to other oral hypoglycemic drugs in this class, in view of their close similarities in mode of action and chemical structure.
After completion of the trial, a large subset of patients was observed for up to 10 additional years, with little additional exposure to pioglitazone.
Macular Edema Pioglitazone Macular edema has been reported in postmarketing experience in diabetic patients who were taking pioglitazone or another thiazolidinedione.
Taking more than these two? Interactions stack. Check your whole list at once; it stays in your browser.
Open in the checkerNot medical advice. Interaction Checker quotes FDA label text and NIH fact sheets. Whether an interaction matters for you depends on doses, timing, kidney and liver function, and other conditions. Confirm with a pharmacist or prescriber.