Glipizide

Major Uses

Glipizide is an oral anti-diabetic agent most commonly used in humans that is sometimes prescribed to cats. It may be useful in treating type II diabetes in cats, but only if the patient has a population of functioning beta cells. Only 20-30 percent of cats typically benefit from taking glipizide.

Common Precautions

Common symptoms associated with glipizide include thyroid, renal, and hepatic function impairment, prolonged vomiting, high fever, and malnourishment. While Glipizide may be effective in the first few weeks of treatment, it may eventually lose effectiveness, in which case insulin will be required. This drug can cause complications to occur because of excessive amounts of cortisol, or growth hormone, being produced by the animal in response to the drug. This production may antagonize the effects of insulin.

Glipizide should only be used when the benefits outweigh the negatives, as oral antidiabetics are known to be contraindicated by severe burns, severe trauma, severe infection, diabetic coma or other hypoglycemic conditions, major surgery, ketosis, ketaacidosis or other significant acidotic conditions.

Glipizide should not be used in animals with a known allergy or hypersensitivity to the drug. A veterinarian should be contacted immediately if an overdose is suspected, the most noticeable and dangerous symptom being profound hypoglycemia. If necessary, gut emptying protocols should be followed.

Storage

Glipizide should be kept at room temperature and stored in a tight, light resistant container.

Administration

Glipizide should be administered with food. a typical dose is 2.5 mg twice daily. During the first 24 hours of drug administration, spot blood glucose measurements should be performed on the animal. If hyperglycemia is still present in the patient after two weeks and no adverse reactions have occurred, the dose should be increased to 5 mg twice daily. Administration may continue as long as the patient does not display any negative symptoms. If a dose is forgotten, it should be administered as soon as remembered unless it is nearing the time for the next scheduled dose. In this case, the regular schedule should be resumed. Two doses should not be administered at the same time.

Doses may vary in different species, when the drug is given by a different route or concurrently with other medications, and with regards to a patient's age, breed, and health status. A veterinarian's dosing instructions and/or those printed on the medication label should be followed closely.