Glyburide

Patients should be retitrated when transferred from glyburide tablets or other oral hypoglycemic agents. There is no fixed dosage regimen for the management of diabetes mellitus with glyburide tablets. In addition to the usual monitoring of urinary glucose, the patient's blood glucose must also be monitored periodically to determine the minimum effective dose for the patient; to detect primary failure, ie , inadequate lowering of blood glucose at the maximum recommended dose of medication; and to detect secondary failure, ie , loss of adequate blood glucose lowering response after an initial period of effectiveness. Glycosylated hemoglobin levels may also be of value in monitoring the patient's response to therapy. Short-term administration of glyburide tablets may be sufficient during periods of transient loss of control in patients usually controlled well on diet. Usual Starting Dose The usual starting dose of glyburide tablets is 2.5 to 5 mg daily, administered with breakfast or the first main meal. Those patients who may be more sensitive to hypoglycemic drugs should be started at 1.25 mg daily.