Glipizide

Glipizide is an oral hypoglycemic agent in the second-generation sulfonylurea drug class that is used to control blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It was first introduced in 1984 and is available in various countries including Canada and the U.S. According to the 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines by Diabetes Canada, sulfonylurea drugs are considered a second-line glucose-lowering therapy following metformin. Because sulfonylureas require functional pancreatic beta cells for their therapeutic effectiveness, sulfonylureas are more commonly used for early-stage type 2 diabetes when there is no progressed pancreatic failure. Compared to the first-generation sulfonylureas, such as tolbutamide and chlorpropamide, second-generation sulfonylureas contain a more non-polar side chain in their chemical structure, which enhances their hypoglycemic potency. Compared to other members of the sulfonylurea drug group, glipizide displays rapid absorption and onset of action with the shortest half-life and duration of action, reducing the risk for long-lasting hypoglycemia that is often observed with blood glucose-lowering agents. Glipizide was first approved by the FDA in 1994 and is available in extended-release tablets under the brand name Glucotrol®, as well as in combination with metformin under the brand name Metaglip®.