Lower incidence of severe hypoglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with glimepiride versus glibenclamide

• Published in: Diabetes/metabolism research and reviews 2001-11, Vol.17 (6), p.467-473
• Main Authors: Holstein, Andreas, Plaschke, Armin, Egberts, Eick-Hartwig
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - drug therapy; Diabetic Nephropathies - epidemiology; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Germany - epidemiology; glibenclamide; glimepiride; Glyburide - adverse effects; Glyburide - therapeutic use; Glycated Hemoglobin A - analysis; Humans; hypoglycaemia; Hypoglycemia - chemically induced; Hypoglycemia - epidemiology; Hypoglycemic Agents - adverse effects; Hypoglycemic Agents - therapeutic use; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous (drug allergy, mutagens, teratogens...); Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Prospective Studies; Sulfonylurea Compounds - adverse effects; Sulfonylurea Compounds - therapeutic use; sulphonylureas; type 2 diabetes
• ISSN: 1520-7552; 1520-7560
• DOI: 10.1002/dmrr.235

Background Severe hypoglycaemia is a potentially life‐threatening condition. The aim of the present study was to compare the frequency of severe hypoglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with glimepiride versus glibenclamide. Methods This prospective, population‐based, 4‐year study examined the incidence of severe hypoglycaemia in a region of Germany with 200 000 inhabitants. The blood glucose of all 30 768 patients who attended the emergency department of the region's central hospital was determined to detect severe hypoglycaemia, which was defined by the requirement for intravenous glucose or glucagon injection and blood glucose value of