What Is Gliclazide MR Viatris Used For?

Gliclazide MR Viatris contains the active ingredient gliclazide, which belongs to a group of medicines called sulphonylureas. This medication releases the active ingredient progressively over 24 hours to help control your blood sugar levels.

Primary Uses

Gliclazide MR Viatris is used to control blood glucose (sugar) in patients with Type II diabetes mellitus, also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM) or maturity-onset diabetes. It’s prescribed when diet and exercise alone are not enough to control your blood glucose levels. It can be used alone or together with insulin or other diabetes medicines.

How It Works

Gliclazide works by lowering blood glucose levels through increasing the amount of insulin (a hormone that controls blood glucose levels) produced by your pancreas. This helps prevent both hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) and hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose), which can lead to serious problems with your heart, circulation, and kidneys if not properly controlled.

How to Take Gliclazide MR Viatris

Your doctor will tell you exactly how many tablets to take each day. They may increase or decrease your dose depending on your blood glucose levels. Always follow the directions given by your doctor, pharmacist, and diabetes educator carefully.

Dosage Instructions

Swallow the tablets whole with a glass of water at the same time each day, usually with breakfast. Do not crush, chew, or break the tablets as this may change their effectiveness. The tablets do not have a break bar and should not be broken in half. Taking your medication with food helps minimize the risk of hypoglycaemia. Do not skip meals while taking this medication.

What If You Miss a Dose?

If it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose when you’re meant to. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember (with food), then go back to taking your tablets normally. Missed doses can cause high blood glucose (hyperglycaemia). If you’re not sure whether to skip the dose, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Side Effects

Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.

Common Side Effects

These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:

• Low or high blood sugar
• Cold-like or respiratory symptoms (runny/blocked nose, sneezing, sinus or throat discomfort, coughing, bronchitis, upper respiratory infection)
• Back or joint pain
• High blood pressure
• Chest pain
• Headache
• Weakness
• Viral or urinary infections
• Dizziness
• Stomach upset (nausea, pain, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation)
• Skin blistering/peeling

Important Warnings

Before taking Gliclazide MR Viatris, it’s important to discuss your medical history and current health conditions with your doctor to ensure this medication is safe for you.

Who Should Not Take Gliclazide MR Viatris

Do not take this medication if you: are allergic to gliclazide, other sulphonylureas, sulfa antibiotics, or thiazide diuretics; have Type 1 diabetes mellitus (insulin dependent diabetes); have unstable diabetes; have diabetic ketoacidosis; have severe kidney or liver disease; are taking miconazole antibiotic; if the medication is expired or packaging is damaged.

Medical Conditions to Discuss

Tell your doctor if you have: allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances; family history of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency; kidney or liver disease; history of diabetic coma; adrenal, pituitary, or thyroid problems; heart failure; any condition that may increase risk of high or low blood glucose; if you drink alcohol or have irregular eating or exercise patterns.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Do not take Gliclazide MR Viatris if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. This medication may affect your developing baby, and insulin is more suitable for controlling blood glucose during pregnancy. It’s not known whether the medication passes into breast milk. If you become pregnant while taking this medication, tell your doctor immediately.

Drug Interactions

Some medicines may interfere with Gliclazide MR Viatris and affect how it works. Tell your doctor, pharmacist, or diabetes educator about all medicines you’re taking, including over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements.

• Fungal infection medicines (miconazole – contraindicated)
• Other diabetes medicines (biguanides, insulin)
• Blood pressure and heart medicines (beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors)
• Depression medicines (MAOIs, chlorpromazine)
• Cholesterol medicines (clofibrate)
• Pain and inflammation medicines (aspirin, ibuprofen, phenylbutazone)
• Antibiotics (chloramphenicol, clarithromycin, sulphonamides, fluoroquinolones)
• Stomach ulcer medicines
• Gout medicines (probenecid)
• Tuberculosis medicines
• Epilepsy medicines (danazol)
• St John’s Wort preparations
• Hormones (estrogen, progesterone)
• Asthma medicines (salbutamol, terbutaline)
• Sedatives (barbiturates)
• Steroids (glucocorticoids)
• Fluid retention medicines (thiazides, furosemide)
• Blood clot prevention medicines (warfarin)
• Alcohol

Alcohol & Driving

Be careful with alcohol consumption and driving while taking Gliclazide MR Viatris, as this medication can affect your ability to perform these activities safely.

Alcohol

Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol. If you drink alcohol while taking Gliclazide MR Viatris, you may experience flushing, sensation of warmth, headache, breathing difficulties, rapid heartbeat, stomach pains, or feel sick and vomit. Alcohol can also affect your blood glucose levels.

Driving and Operating Machinery

Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Gliclazide MR Viatris affects you. This medication may cause dizziness and drowsiness in some people. Low blood glucose levels may also slow your reaction time and affect your ability to drive or operate machinery safely. Be especially careful not to let your blood glucose levels fall too low.

Storage

Keep your tablets in a cool, dry place below 25°C and protect them from moisture. Keep your tablets in the original pack until it’s time to take them, as they won’t keep as well outside their blister packaging. Store in a cool, dry place away from moisture, heat, or sunlight – not in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, or on window sills. Keep where young children cannot reach it – a locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half meters above the ground is ideal.

Overdose Information

If you think you or anyone else has taken too much Gliclazide MR Viatris, urgent medical attention may be needed. Immediately phone the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26) for advice, contact your doctor, or go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital, even if there are no signs of discomfort. Taking too much, especially with other diabetes medicines or alcohol, may cause symptoms of low blood glucose including loss of coordination, slurred speech, confusion, loss of consciousness, and fitting. At the first signs of hypoglycaemia, raise your blood glucose quickly by eating 5-7 jelly beans, 3 teaspoons of sugar or honey, drinking half a can of non-diet soft drink, or taking 2-3 glucose tablets.

Frequently Asked Questions