How to Understand Medications That Can Cause Low Blood Sugar

A listing of some of the diabetic medications that could cause a decrease in blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia.

Instructions

• 1

  Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is a drop in blood sugar to lower than normal results usually as a result of specific food intake (reactive hypoglycemia) and from things like not eating, stress, and exercise. Also, it can occur as a result of some of the diabetic medications on the market today. Knowing what medications have the side effect of low blood sugar ahead of time can save a diabetic from a potentially deadly series of events. If you are on any of these diabetic medications, check with your doctor and discuss its potential for contributing to hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar side effects need to be carefully monitored while on any of these medicines.

• 2

  Medications with Low Blood Sugar Side Effects
  These are some of the diabetic medications that can have the effect of contributing to lower than normal blood glucose readings.
  Januvia (sitagliptin)
  Prandin (repaglinide)
  Glucotrol, Glucotrol XL (glipzide)
  Metaglip (glipizide and metformin)
  Diabinese (chlorpropamide)
  Amaryl (glimepiride)
  DiaBeta, Micronase, Glynase (glyburide)
  Starlix (nateglinide)
  Janumet (sitagliptin and metformin)
  Avandaryl (rosiglitazone and glimepiride)
  Glucovance (glyburide and metformin)
  Duetact (pigolitazone and glimepiride)
  Tolazamide
  Tolbutamide

• 3

  Medications That Can Lower Blood Glucose with Other Meds
  These diabetic medications do not cause low blood sugar if taken along, but when they are used with insulin or other insulin production medications can lower blood glucose readings and will need to be monitored.
  Avandia (rosiglitazone)
  Actos (pioglitazone)
  Glyset (miglitol)
  Precose (acarbose)
  Glucophage (metformin)
  Symlin (pramlintide)
  Byetta (exenatide)

• 4

  Hypoglycemia Monitoring
  If taking any of these diabetic medications that have a history of lowering blood glucose levels, make sure that you keep a careful monitor of your glucose numbers. Having a home monitor such as those from Accuchek and other blood glucose monitor providers can help you see where your numbers are ranging. You may find that you need less insulin than you did before getting on the medication, or that you need to alter your shot times, etc. Having a daily diary, or diabetic logbook, can make it handy to show your doctor or healthcare provider how your numbers are and what time of the day you are lowest.

• 5

  Online logbooks may be easier to keep track, as they have the convenience of having mapping features and charts that readily show your progress in keeping your blood sugar level and under control. These charts and graphs may be easier to show your doctor or healthcare provider when relaying your information to him/her.