Glimepiride Alternatives Compared

View side-by-side comparisons of medication uses, ratings, cost, side effects and interactions.
Glimepiride	Rybelsus (semaglutide)	Metformin	Enter another drug to compare

Glimepiride

Rybelsus (semaglutide)

Metformin

Prescription only

Glimepiride is used to help maintain blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. It may cause nausea and people who take glimepiride should always be alert for symptoms of hypoglycemia (low... View more

Prescription only

Rybelsus (semaglutide) is an oral medicine that can be used as a first-line medication to improve blood sugar control in adults over the age of 18 with type 2 diabetes. It works by mimicking the... View more

Prescription only

Metformin improves how the body responds to insulin and it is used to treat type 2 diabetes. Taste disturbances, diarrhea, and other stomach-related side effects are common side effects. Metformin is... View more

More about Glimepiride

More about Rybelsus (semaglutide)

More about Metformin

Ratings & Reviews

Glimepiride has an average rating of 6.7 out of 10 from a total of 71 ratings on Drugs.com. 55% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 25% reported a negative effect.

Rybelsus has an average rating of 6.5 out of 10 from a total of 309 ratings on Drugs.com. 49% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 22% reported a negative effect.

Metformin has an average rating of 6.8 out of 10 from a total of 660 ratings on Drugs.com. 55% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 19% reported a negative effect.

View all 71 reviews

View all 309 reviews

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Side Effects Experienced by Users Side effects are reported in Drugs.com user reviews and not clinically verified.

Blood sugar (8.5%)
Weight gain (8.5%)
Stomach pain (7.0%)
Diarrhea (5.6%)
Upset stomach (4.2%)

View all Glimepiride side effects

Nausea (40.8%)
Diarrhea (21.0%)
Constipation (17.5%)
Loss of appetite (9.4%)
Vomiting (8.4%)
Stomach pain (5.5%)
Upset stomach (5.2%)

View all Rybelsus side effects

Diarrhea (25.6%)
Nausea (15.3%)
Upset stomach (9.8%)
Stomach pain (4.7%)
Gas (4.5%)
Headaches (4.4%)
Cramps (3.6%)

View all Metformin side effects

Drug Class

Sulfonylureas

GLP-1 Agonists (Incretin Mimetics)

Non-sulfonylureas

Generic Availability

Lower cost generic

No lower cost generic approved

Lower cost generic

Pricing and Coupons * Prices are without insurance

Quantity	50 each
Strength	4 mg
Per unit^*	$0.26
Cost^*	$12.96

View all Glimepiride prices

Quantity	30 tablet
Strength	3 mg
Per unit^*	$32.74
Cost^*	$982.34

View all Rybelsus prices

Quantity	100 each
Strength	500 mg
Per unit^*	$0.11
Cost^*	$10.79

View all Metformin prices

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Dosage Forms

Oral tablet

Oral tablet

Oral solution
Oral tablet
Oral tablet, extended release

Half Life Drug half-life is the time required for plasma concentration to reduce to half its original value.

3.4 hours

168 hours

4.5 hours

CSA Schedule ¹ View glossary of CSA terms

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Pregnancy Category

Category C Risk cannot be ruled out

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Summary unavailable.

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category B No proven risk in humans

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Drug Interactions

A total of 505 drugs are known to interact with Glimepiride:

24 major drug interactions (62 brand and generic names)
466 moderate drug interactions (2433 brand and generic names)
15 minor drug interactions (106 brand and generic names)

A total of 275 drugs are known to interact with Rybelsus:

16 major drug interactions (36 brand and generic names)
258 moderate drug interactions (1457 brand and generic names)
1 minor drug interactions (10 brand and generic names)

A total of 380 drugs are known to interact with Metformin:

25 major drug interactions (131 brand and generic names)
346 moderate drug interactions (1805 brand and generic names)
9 minor drug interactions (35 brand and generic names)

Alcohol/Food/Lifestyle Interactions

Alcohol may affect blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes. Both hypoglycemia (low blood... View more

Food may affect the absorption of semaglutide when taken orally. It is recommended that oral... View more
Talk to your doctor before using alcohol together with semaglutide. Alcohol may affect blood... View more

MetFORMIN should be taken with meals, and excessive alcohol intake (either short-term binge... View more

Disease Interactions

First Approval Date

November 30, 1995

September 20, 2019

March 03, 1995

WADA Class View classifications

N/A

More Information

Patient Resources

Glimepiride uses

Rybelsus uses

Metformin uses

Professional Resources

Prescribing information

¹ The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) schedule information displayed applies to substances regulated under federal law. There may be variations in CSA schedules between individual states.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

Glimepiride Alternatives Compared

See also:

Trulicity

Lantus

Botox

Tresiba

Levemir

Victoza

Basaglar

Novolog

Soliqua

Toujeo SoloStar

Further information

Glimepiride Alternatives Compared

See also:

Further information

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