Medications for Diabetes

Drugs commonly used to treat diabetes may cause hypoglycemia, especially if nutritional intake is erratic and/or if increased or decreased appetite or diarrhea occurs.

• Insulin - hypoglycemia
• Sulfonylureas - epigastric fullness, heartburn, hypoglycemia, nausea, skin rash
• Biguanides - anorexia, diarrhea, vomiting, lactic acidosis (if renal disease is present)
• A (alpha) glucose inhibitors - elevated liver enzymes, flatulence, diarrhea
• Glitazones - anemia, elevated liver enzymes
• Nateglinide/repaglinide - hypoglycemia