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What Are The Risks When Taking Glipizide And Consuming Alcohol?

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Posted on Fri, 15 Feb 2019
Question: what are the risks when taking glipizide and consuming alcohol?
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Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (26 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Alcohol can increase the side effects and cause blood sugar changes.

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,

Both Glipizide and alcohol are metabolized (broken down) by the liver. Both use some of the same enzymes to do this. So there is competition for the same enzyme which can make the presence of alcohol increase the side effects (all of them) of Glipizide.

The other problem is that alcohol can increase blood sugar (when drunk in moderation) or markedly decrease blood sugar levels (when there is a higher concentration of alcohol). Increasing or decreasing blood sugar, while on blood sugar lowering medicine, can be a problem.

What all this means is:
1. Alcohol can increase Glipizide's side effects.
2. Alcohol can throw off the blood sugar levels.

Please let me know if I can provide further information.

Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee
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Answered by
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Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1991

Answered : 3134 Questions

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What Are The Risks When Taking Glipizide And Consuming Alcohol?

Brief Answer: Alcohol can increase the side effects and cause blood sugar changes. Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome, Both Glipizide and alcohol are metabolized (broken down) by the liver. Both use some of the same enzymes to do this. So there is competition for the same enzyme which can make the presence of alcohol increase the side effects (all of them) of Glipizide. The other problem is that alcohol can increase blood sugar (when drunk in moderation) or markedly decrease blood sugar levels (when there is a higher concentration of alcohol). Increasing or decreasing blood sugar, while on blood sugar lowering medicine, can be a problem. What all this means is: 1. Alcohol can increase Glipizide's side effects. 2. Alcohol can throw off the blood sugar levels. Please let me know if I can provide further information.