Daily blood glucose profiles of glibenclamide and gliclazide taken once or twice daily in elderly type 2 diabetic patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the difference in daily blood glucose profiles between once- and twice-daily regimens of a moderate daily dose of glibenclamide or gliclazide in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.


METHODS
Daily blood glucose profile data were evaluated in 18 elderly type 2 diabetic patients treated with 80 mg/day gliclazide or 5 mg/day glibenclamide as monotherapy. The first daily blood glucose profile of the twice-daily regimen was performed approximately 1 week before hospital discharge, and the second was performed after taking a once-daily regimen for 4-7 days. Plasma glucose and plasma immunoreactive insulin (IRI) concentrations were measured daily at 12 time points: 08.00 (before breakfast); 10.00; 12.00 (before lunch); 14.00; 18.00 (before dinner); 20.00; 0.00; 02.00; 03.00; 04.00; 06.00; and 08.00 hours the next morning.


RESULTS
Daily blood glucose profiles and plasma IRI profiles did not differ between the once- and twice-daily regimen groups in either the gliclazide group or the glibenclamide group. Plasma glucose values between midnight and early morning tended to be lower than the 08.00 hours plasma glucose value in the glibenclamide group, but not in the gliclazide group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the blood glucose-lowering effects of a once- and twice-daily moderate daily dose of glibenclamide or gliclazide do not differ in elderly type 2 diabetic patients. However, glibenclamide, regardless of the dosage schedule, tends to lower the plasma glucose values between midnight and early morning.
Kigawa
Yoshiaki
Y
Division of Geriatric Medicine, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
Oba
Kenzo
K
Futami-Suda
Shoko
S
Norose
Jun
J
Yasuoka
Hiroko
H
Suzuki
Kazunari
K
Ouchi
Motoshi
M
Watanabe
Kentaro
K
Suzuki
Tatsuya
T
Nakano
Hiroshi
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005907:Gliclazide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005905:Glyburide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D005907:Gliclazide; D005905:Glyburide