title: Hyperglycaemia and absorption of sulphonylurea drugs.
abstract: To examine whether hyperglycaemia impairs the absorption of sulphonylurea agents, glipizide, which is rapidly and completely absorbed, was measured in plasma from 12 healthy young subjects during various levels of experimentally-induced hyperglycaemia. An increase in the plasma glucose concentration above 7 mmol/l was associated with a dose-dependent delay in the absorption of glipizide; at a concentration above 11 mmol/l, the plasma glipizide concentration was reduced by 50%. The data indicate that hyperglycaemia may delay the absorption of sulphonylurea agents, probably because it impairs gastric motility and/or gastric emptying. This delay of absorption may be clinically relevant, since the efficacy of short-acting sulphonylureas is dependent upon the absorption rate of the drug.
authors.affiliation: Fourth Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Groop
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luzi
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: DeFronzo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Melander
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000187:drug effects; D005913:Glipizide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015309:Glucose Clamp Technique; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000378:metabolism*; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D013453:Sulfonylurea Compounds; D005913:Glipizide