Amaryl (Glimepiride)

Amaryl is an oral blood sugar-lowering drug in a class of medicines for controlling diabetes called sulfonylureas. Amaryl is related to other sulfonylureas including glyburide (Micronase; Diabeta), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase) and tolazamide (Tolinase). Amaryl is used in type II diabetes, the most common type of diabetes that is found in 90% of patients with diabetes. In type II diabetes, insulin usually is not necessary to control the blood sugar. Instead, diet and oral medications often are sufficient. Intolerance to sugar that results in elevated blood sugar is caused by reduced insulin secretion by the pancreas and resistance to insulin's effects by the body's cells. Amaryl lowers the sugar level in the blood by stimulating insulin to be secreted from the pancreas into the blood. Insulin causes sugar to leave the blood and enter cells throughout the body.

Amaryl is an anti-diabetic drug (sulfonylurea-type) used along with a proper diet and exercise program to control high blood sugar. It is used in patients with type 2 diabetes (non-insulin-dependent diabetes). It works by stimulating the release of your body's natural insulin. Effectively controlling high blood sugar helps prevent heart disease, strokes, kidney disease, blindness, and circulation problems, as well as sexual function problems (impotence).