Glyburide

Pronunciation: GLYE-byoor-ide.

Generic name
glyburide (glibenclamide)
Drug class
Sulfonylurea (second-generation)
Form
Tablet, 1.25 mg / 2.5 mg / 5 mg
Route
Oral
Legal status
Prescription-only

Availability and supply rules vary by country

Trade names by country: United States · United Kingdom · Canada · Australia · New Zealand

Australia: Daonil (5) · Full directory

What glyburide (glibenclamide) is and how it works

Glyburide (glibenclamide) is an oral sulfonylurea medicine that helps the pancreas release more insulin, used alongside diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. (1) (6)

The most important real risk with glyburide is low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), which can be more pronounced and harder to recognise in older adults and in people with reduced kidney or liver function. Take it exactly as prescribed, with a meal, and know the signs of low blood sugar and how to treat them.

Mechanism of action: how glyburide (glibenclamide) works

Glyburide (glibenclamide) is a second-generation sulfonylurea that stimulates insulin release from pancreatic beta cells by binding to sulfonylurea receptors, closing ATP-sensitive potassium channels and triggering calcium influx and insulin secretion. (1)

What glyburide (glibenclamide) is used for

Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Used as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, when diet, exercise, and weight reduction alone are not enough. May be combined with insulin or other antidiabetic medicines if control declines with glyburide alone. (1) (6)

Before taking glyburide (glibenclamide)

Do not take / not appropriate for

  • Do not take glyburide if you have a known allergy to it or to sulfonamide-related medicines. (all countries) (1)
  • Do not take glyburide if you have type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis -- it is not effective for these conditions and can be dangerous. (all countries) (1) (6)
  • Do not take glyburide together with bosentan. (United States) (1)
  • Do not take glyburide if you have severe kidney or liver impairment, or during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. (New Zealand) (6)

Tell your clinician about

  • Any history of low blood sugar episodes, or difficulty recognising the symptoms of low blood sugar.
  • Any kidney or liver problems.
  • Whether you have glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.
  • All other medicines you take, especially other diabetes medicines, NSAIDs, sulfonamide antibiotics, warfarin, beta-blockers, or steroids.
  • Whether you are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding.
  • Your age -- older adults are at higher risk of low blood sugar that may be harder to notice.
(1) (6)

How to take glyburide (glibenclamide)

  • Take glyburide with breakfast or your first main meal of the day, exactly as prescribed.
  • Do not skip meals after taking a dose, since this increases the risk of low blood sugar.
  • Do not change your dose on your own -- dose adjustments are based on your blood sugar readings and are made by your clinician.
(1)

Procedures and treatment changes

Tell the treating team before surgery, procedures, or any medicine change. Do not alter treatment without the responsible clinician. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Missed dose

Contact your prescriber or pharmacist for guidance if you miss a dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one -- this increases the risk of low blood sugar.

Overdose

Seek urgent medical attention if too much glyburide may have been taken, or if severe low blood sugar develops (confusion, loss of consciousness, seizures). Mild low blood sugar without loss of consciousness should be treated promptly with oral glucose or sugar, but severe or worsening symptoms need emergency care. (1)

Side effects

Side effects and their urgency vary; report severe, persistent, or concerning symptoms.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia).

What to notice: Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia).

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1) (6)

Nausea, heartburn, or other stomach upset.

What to notice: Nausea, heartburn, or other stomach upset.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)

Allergic skin reactions (rash, itching).

What to notice: Allergic skin reactions (rash, itching).

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)

Weight gain.

What to notice: Weight gain.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (6)

Serious warnings

Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), including severe episodes — high caution

Symptoms: Sweating, shakiness, dizziness, confusion, headache, or hunger; in severe cases, loss of consciousness or seizures. Symptoms can be harder to notice in older adults.

Action: Treat mild symptoms right away with oral glucose or sugar. Seek emergency medical help for severe symptoms such as confusion, loss of consciousness, or seizures. This risk is heightened in elderly, malnourished, or debilitated patients, and in those with reduced kidney or liver function. (1) (6)

Long-standing FDA special warning: possible increased cardiovascular mortality with oral hypoglycaemic drugs — high caution

Symptoms: Not applicable as a spontaneous symptom -- this is a labelled, population-level historical safety signal, not an individual side effect to watch for.

Action: Discuss with your clinician as part of the overall risk-benefit decision for your diabetes treatment plan. This is a real, long-standing FDA warning (based on the historical University Group Diabetes Program study on a related sulfonylurea, tolbutamide) that has appeared in sulfonylurea labelling since the 1970s, though it is not presented as a modern 'boxed' warning in the current label. (1)

Haemolytic anaemia in G6PD-deficient patients — high caution

Symptoms: Unusual tiredness, pale skin, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or dark urine.

Action: Tell your clinician if you have G6PD deficiency before starting -- a non-sulfonylurea alternative is generally recommended for this group. Report these symptoms promptly if they occur. (1) (6)

Low blood sodium (hyponatraemia / SIADH) — high caution

Symptoms: Headache, confusion, weakness, or nausea.

Action: Contact your clinician promptly -- hyponatraemia, sometimes related to a condition called SIADH, has been reported with glyburide, particularly alongside other medicines or conditions that increase antidiuretic hormone activity. (1) (6)

Interactions

  • NSAIDs, salicylates, sulfonamide antibiotics, warfarin, MAOIs, and beta-blockers can increase glyburide's blood-sugar-lowering effect, raising hypoglycaemia risk. (1)
  • Thiazide diuretics, corticosteroids, and phenytoin may reduce glyburide's effectiveness (raise blood sugar). (1)
  • Ciprofloxacin and miconazole may increase the risk of low blood sugar with glyburide. (1)
  • Colesevelam reduces glyburide absorption -- take glyburide at least 4 hours before colesevelam. (1)
  • Do not take with bosentan. (1)

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, kidney/liver function, age

Pregnancy

Insulin is generally preferred for blood sugar control during pregnancy; glyburide should generally be discontinued at least 2 weeks before the expected delivery date, per the sources reviewed. Some sources reviewed list pregnancy as a contraindication outright -- discuss with your clinician. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Breastfeeding

It is not known whether glyburide passes into breast milk in clinically significant amounts; a decision to stop breastfeeding or stop the medicine should be made with your clinician. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Children

Not established for routine type 2 diabetes use in children in the sources reviewed for this dossier (a related, distinct glibenclamide oral suspension exists specifically for neonatal diabetes, a rare, different condition, under specialist care). (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Elderly

Higher risk of hypoglycaemia, which may be harder to recognise; use with particular caution and closer monitoring. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Hepatic Impairment

Increased hypoglycaemia risk; used with caution, and contraindicated in severe hepatic impairment per some sources reviewed. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Renal Impairment

Increased hypoglycaemia risk; used with caution, and contraindicated in severe renal impairment per some sources reviewed. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Monitoring

Before starting

  • Baseline kidney and liver function
  • Baseline blood sugar (HbA1c)
  • G6PD deficiency status if relevant
  • Review of other medicines for interactions

During treatment

  • Regular blood sugar monitoring
  • Periodic kidney and liver function checks
  • Ongoing awareness of hypoglycaemia symptoms, especially in older adults
  • Watching for signs of hyponatraemia or haemolytic anaemia
(1) (6)

Storage

Store tablets at room temperature, protected from moisture, out of reach of children.

Professional information

Clinician-facing context only, sourced from the current US FDA/DailyMed prescribing information and the current New Zealand Medsafe data sheet; verify against the current full label before prescribing.

United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Canada, Australia, New Zealand

Indication: Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Dose summary: 2.5-5 mg once daily starting dose with breakfast (1.25 mg for sensitive patients), titrated in increments of up to 2.5 mg at weekly intervals; maintenance 1.25-20 mg daily; maximum 20 mg daily.

Renal context: Increased hypoglycaemia risk with renal impairment; use with caution and closer monitoring; contraindicated in severe renal impairment per some sources reviewed. (1) (6)

Mechanism of action

Hepatic guidance

Increased hypoglycaemia risk with hepatic impairment; use with caution.

Overdose note

Overdose produces hypoglycaemia; mild cases without loss of consciousness are treated with oral glucose/carbohydrate and dose/meal adjustment; severe hypoglycaemia (loss of consciousness, seizures, or neurological findings) requires emergency treatment with glucose and close monitoring, since hypoglycaemia may recur after apparent recovery. (1)

Frequently asked questions

Does glyburide carry a boxed warning?

No -- direct inspection of the current US FDA label confirms there is no modern formatted boxed warning for glyburide. There is a real, long-standing 'Special Warning on Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Mortality', based on a 1970s study (UGDP) of a related sulfonylurea, but it is presented in an older, non-boxed format within the label rather than as a modern black-box warning. (1)

What is the most important risk to know about with glyburide?

Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) is the most common and clinically significant risk. It can be more severe and harder to recognise in older adults, and the risk is higher in people with reduced kidney or liver function. Taking glyburide with a meal and knowing the early symptoms of low blood sugar are both important. (1) (6)

Is glyburide (glibenclamide) available in the US, UK, Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand?

Yes. It is authorised in all of these regions -- sold as glyburide (or historically as Diabeta, Glynase, or Micronase) in the United States, and as glibenclamide (commonly under the brand Daonil) in the United Kingdom, European Union, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Why do I need to tell my clinician if I have G6PD deficiency before starting glyburide?

Glyburide can trigger haemolytic anaemia (breakdown of red blood cells) in people with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. A non-sulfonylurea alternative is generally recommended for this group. (1) (6)

What is the mechanism of action of glyburide (glibenclamide)?

Glyburide (glibenclamide) is a second-generation sulfonylurea that stimulates insulin release from pancreatic beta cells by binding to sulfonylurea receptors, closing ATP-sensitive potassium channels and triggering calcium influx and insulin secretion. (1)

What is the generic name of Glyburide?

The generic name is glyburide (glibenclamide). (1) (6)

What class of drug is glyburide (glibenclamide)?

Glyburide is classed as: Sulfonylurea (second-generation). (1) (6)

References

  1. GLYBURIDE tablets -- full prescribing informationU.S. Food and Drug Administration / DailyMed (NIH), full prescribing information · United States · accessed 2026-07-31 · source 1
  2. Glibenclamide 5 mg Tablets BP -- Patient Information LeafletAurobindo Pharma Limited (UK marketing authorisation holder) -- Patient Information Leaflet · United Kingdom · accessed 2026-07-31 · source 2
  3. Amglidia (glibenclamide) -- EPAR medicine overviewEuropean Medicines Agency (EMA) -- centralised marketing authorisation / EPAR · European Union · accessed 2026-07-31 · source 3
  4. DIABETA (glyburide) -- Health Canada Drug Product Database entriesHealth Canada -- Drug Product Database (DPD), official public API · Canada · accessed 2026-07-31 · source 4
  5. DAONIL glibenclamide 5 mg tablet blister pack -- ARTG entry 73683Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia -- Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) · Australia · accessed 2026-07-31 · source 5
  6. Daonil (glibenclamide) 5 mg tablets -- New Zealand Data SheetMedsafe (New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority) · New Zealand · accessed 2026-07-31 · source 6

Brand names by country

Single-ingredient glyburide (glibenclamide) names are shown separately by country. Product availability, strengths, and supply rules can change; combination products are not included here.

Priority countries

United States

  • Glyburide (also marketed historically as Diabeta, Glynase, Micronase) (1)FDA approved current label confirmed no boxed warning · Multiple generic manufacturers

United Kingdom

  • Glibenclamide 5 mg Tablets BP (2)MHRA licensed confirmed via PIL · Aurobindo Pharma Limited · Not currently listed on the UK electronic medicines compendium (emc) -- emc listing is voluntary and its absence does not indicate the product is unauthorised; a separate EU-centrally-authorised paediatric suspension (Amglidia) is listed on emc.

Canada

  • DIABETA
  • EUGLUCON

Australia

  • Daonil (5)TGA ARTG registered 2000-04-27 · Sanofi-Aventis Australia Pty Ltd

New Zealand

  • Daonil (6)medsafe data sheet confirmed current version 2022-06-20 · Sanofi-Aventis New Zealand
View brands in additional countries.

European Union

Amglidia (EU-wide centralised, paediatric suspension) / Daonil (national, adult tablets) (3)

This page provides general reference information about glyburide (glibenclamide) and is not a substitute for advice from the prescriber managing your treatment. All dosing and treatment decisions should be made with your prescriber, based on your individual blood sugar control, kidney and liver function, and other medical circumstances.

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