Gliclazide

Gliclazide is a tablet taken daily to manage type-2 diabetes. It's part of a group of medicines known as sulfonylureas, which are used when diet and exercise haven't sufficiently reduced your blood sugar levels.

Type-2 diabetes typically develops in adults when the body struggles to manage the glucose from your diet effectively, resulting in higher blood glucose levels. This usually happens because either your pancreas isn't producing enough insulin, your body isn't using the insulin properly, or a mix of both.

Sulfonylurea medications, such as Gliclazide, help reduce your blood sugar by encouraging the beta cells in your pancreas to produce more insulin. This can boost the amount of insulin your pancreas releases both at rest and after meals.

Higher insulin levels should assist your body in moving the glucose you consume from your bloodstream into your cells, which results in reduced blood sugar levels.

Gliclazide is available in four different strengths: 30mg, 40mg, 60mg, and 80mg. The dose you are prescribed will depend on your health and condition. You may be started on a lower dose to check how well it manages your blood sugar levels. If it doesn't work as expected, the dose can be increased.

The primary types of medicines used to reduce blood sugar levels are:

Gliclazide is a type of medication known as a 'sulfonylurea'. You can take it by itself or alongside another treatment.

Each type of medicine works a bit differently to help lower your blood sugar levels. Some, like metformin, help your body use insulin more effectively. Others, like SGLT-2 inhibitors such as Forxiga, increase the amount of glucose that is removed from your body through urine.

Gliclazide helps your pancreas produce more insulin. It's often given with metformin, or as an alternative if metformin isn't suitable or hasn't been effective for you.

There are several other active ingredients that belong to the sulfonylureas group. These include glibenclamide, glimepiride, glipizide, and tolbutamide. While these medications work in the same way, they might vary in effectiveness for you, as well as in how quickly they start working and how long they remain in your system.

You can also find branded versions of Gliclazide, like Diamicron or Zicron. These work in a very similar way since they have the same active ingredient, but they might vary in dosage, appearance, or cost. Branded options are usually a bit pricier than generic ones.