Chlorpropamide Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Feb 7, 2023.

Applies to chlorpropamide: oral tablet.

Serious side effects of Chlorpropamide

Along with its needed effects, chlorpropamide may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking chlorpropamide:

Rare

Abdominal or stomach pain
agitation
black, tarry stools
chills
clay-colored stools
coma
confusion
continuing diarrhea
continuing stomach pain
convulsions
dark urine
decreased urine output
depression
diarrhea
dizziness
fast or irregular heartbeat
fever
headache
hostility
increased thirst
irritability
itching
lethargy
loss of appetite
muscle pain or cramps
muscle twitching
nausea or vomiting
rapid weight gain
rash
seizures
shortness of breath
stupor
swelling of the face, ankles, or hands
unpleasant breath odor
unusual tiredness or weakness
vomiting of blood
yellow eyes or skin

Incidence not known

Anxiety
back, leg, or stomach pains
bleeding gums
blood in the urine or stools
blurred vision
chest pain
cold sweats
cool, pale skin
cough or hoarseness
depression
difficulty with breathing
fever with or without chills
fluid-filled skin blisters
general body swelling
general feeling of tiredness or weakness
headache
high fever
increased hunger
lower back or side pain
nervousness
nightmares
nosebleeds
painful or difficult urination
pinpoint red spots on the skin
sensitivity to the sun
shakiness
skin thinness
slurred speech
sore throat
sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
swollen or painful glands
tightness in the chest
unusual bleeding or bruising
wheezing

Other side effects of Chlorpropamide

Some side effects of chlorpropamide may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

Indigestion
passing of gas

Less common

Hives or welts
redness of the skin
weight loss

Rare

Blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
cracks in the skin
loss of heat from the body
red, irritated eyes
red, swollen skin
scaly skin

Incidence not known

Increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight
redness or other discoloration of the skin
severe sunburn

For Healthcare Professionals

Applies to chlorpropamide: oral tablet.

General

The most commonly reported adverse reactions have included gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, anorexia, and hunger.^[Ref]

Metabolic

Rare (less than 0.1%): Disulfiram-like reactions

Frequency not reported: Hypoglycemia

Sulfonylureas:

Frequency not reported: Hepatic porphyria^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

Common (1% to 10%): Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, anorexia, hunger

Frequency not reported: Proctocolitis^[Ref]

Dermatologic

Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Pruritus, allergic skin reactions (pruritus, erythema, urticaria, and morbilliform or maculopapular eruptions)

Sulfonylureas:

Frequency not reported: Photosensitivity, porphyria cutanea tarda^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

Frequency not reported: Allergic skin reactions

Hepatic

Rare (less than 0.1%): Cholestatic jaundice, hepatitis

Frequency not reported: Hepatic porphyria^[Ref]

Hematologic

Sulfonylureas:

Frequency not reported: Leukopenia, agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, aplastic anemia, pancytopenia, eosinophilia^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

Sulfonylureas:

Frequency not reported: Increased cardiovascular mortality^[Ref]

In the University Group Diabetes Program (UGDP) study, cardiovascular mortality rate was approximately 2.5 times higher in patients treated for 5 to 8 years with diet plus tolbutamide 1.5 g per day compared with that of patients treated with diet alone. The UGDP study was a long-term prospective clinical trial designed to evaluate the effectiveness of glucose lowering drugs in preventing or delaying vascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (n=823). Tolbutamide was stopped based on the increase in cardiovascular mortality; a significant increase in total mortality was not observed, but stopping the drug may have limited the ability to measure that. In view of the close similarities in mode of action and chemical structure among sulfonylureas, these results may apply to other drug in this class.^[Ref]