Take acetohexamide exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these
instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
Take each dose with a full glass of water.
Acetohexamide is usually taken before breakfast or the first main meal if it is taken once a day,
or before meals if it is taken multiple times each day. Follow your doctor’s instructions.
Your healthcare provider may recommend regular monitoring of blood sugar levels with blood
or urine tests.
Do not change your dose of acetohexamide without first talking to your doctor.
Store acetohexamide at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
Stop taking acetohexamide and seek emergency medical attention if you experience an
allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives).
Other, less serious side effects from acetohexamide result mostly from blood sugar levels that
are either too high or too low. You should be familiar with the symptoms of both high and low blood
sugar levels and know how to treat both conditions. Also, be sure your family and close friends know
how to help you in an emergency situation.
Low blood sugar may occur when too much acetohexamide is taken; when meals are missed or
delayed; if you exercise more than usual; during illness, especially with vomiting or diarrhea; if you take
other medications; after drinking alcohol; and in other situations.
Hypoglycemia or Low blood sugar has the following symptoms:
shaking;
headache;
cold sweats;
pale, cool skin;
anxiety; and
difficulty concentrating.
Keep hard, sugary candy; chocolate; fruit juice; or glucose tablets on hand
to treat episodes of low blood sugar.
Increased blood sugar may occur when not enough acetohexamide is taken; if you eat
significantly more food than usual; if you exercise less than usual; if you take other medications; during
fever or other illness; and in other situations.
Hyperglycemia or High blood sugar has the following symptoms:
increased thirst,
increased hunger, and
increased urination.
There may be an increased risk of death due to cardiovascular (heart and
blood vessels) complications with the use of acetohexamide when compared to the treatment of
diabetes with diet or diet plus insulin. The long-term use of acetohexamide should be discussed with
your doctor.
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side
effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
Many other medicines may increase or decrease the effects of acetohexamide or affect your
condition. Before taking acetohexamide, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following
medicines:
aspirin or another salicylate such as magnesium/choline salicylate
(Trilisate), salsalate (Disalcid, others), choline salicylate (Arthropan), magnesium salicylate
(Magan), or bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol);
a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as
ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Nuprin, others), ketoprofen (Orudis, Orudis KT, Oruvail), diclofenac
(Voltaren, Cataflam), etodolac (Lodine), indomethacin (Indocin), nabumetone (Relafen),
oxaprozin (Daypro), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, Aleve), and others;
a sulfa-based drug such as sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim
(Bactrim, Septra), sulfisoxazole (Gantrisin), or sulfasalazine (Azulfidine);
a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as
isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), or phenelzine (Nardil);
a beta-blocker such as propranolol (Inderal), atenolol
(Tenormin), acebutolol (Sectral), metoprolol (Lopressor), and others;
a diuretic (water pill) such as hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ,
Hydrodiuril), chlorothiazide (Diuril), and others;
a steroid medicine such as prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone,
others), methylprednisolone (Medrol, others), prednisolone (Prelone, Pediapred, others), and
others;
a phenothiazine such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine),
fluphenazine (Prolixin, Permitil), prochlorperazine (Compazine), promethazine (Phenergan), and
others;
phenytoin (Dilantin);
isoniazid (Nydrazid); or
prescription, over-the-counter, or herbal cough, cold,
allergy, or weight loss medications.
You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring if you are taking
any of the medicines listed above.
Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with acetohexamide or affect your
condition. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter
medicines, including herbal products.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose,
skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a
double dose of this medication.
Treatment with acetohexamide may increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease
compared to treatment of diabetes with diet alone or diet plus insulin. Discuss with your doctor the risks
and benefits of treatment with acetohexamide.
Know the signs and symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which include headache,
drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, fast heartbeat, sweating, tremor, and nausea. Carry a piece of hard
candy or glucose tablets with you to treat episodes of low blood sugar.
Follow diet, medication, and exercise routines closely. Changing any of them can affect your
blood sugar levels.
Do not change your dose of acetohexamide without first talking to your doctor.
Avoid alcohol. It lowers blood sugar and may interfere with your diabetes treatment.
Before taking acetohexamide, tell your doctor if you
have kidney disease;
have liver disease;
have thyroid disease;
have type 1 diabetes;
have a serious infection, illness, or injury; or
need surgery.
You may not be able to take acetohexamide, or you may require a dosage
adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.
Patients 65 years of age and older may have a stronger reaction to acetohexamide and may
require a reduced dose.
Acetohexamide is in the FDA pregnancy category D. This means that acetohexamide is
known to be harmful to an unborn baby. Insulin is usually the drug of choice for controlling diabetes
during pregnancy. Do not take acetohexamide without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or
could become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether acetohexamide passes into breast milk. Do not take acetohexamide
without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Acetohexamide is available with a prescription under the brand name Dymelor. Other brand or
generic formulations may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this
medication, especially if it is new to you.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your
medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ("Multum") is accurate,
up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. In addition, the drug information contained herein may be time sensitive.
Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and end-users in the United States. Cerner Multum does not warrant
that uses outside of the United States are appropriate. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy.
Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or
to serve end-users viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare
practitioners. Healthcare practitioners should use their professional judgment in using the information provided. The absence of a warning for a
given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for
any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides.
The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions,
or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2007 Cerner Multum, Inc. All rights reserved.
Your use of the content provided in this service indicates that you have read, understood and agree to the End-User License Agreement,
which can be accessed by clicking on this link.
