Chlorpropamide (Oral)

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Mar 10, 2022.

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

• Diabinese

Available Dosage Forms:

• Tablet

Therapeutic Class: Hypoglycemic

Chemical Class: 1st Generation Sulfonylurea

Uses for chlorpropamide

Chlorpropamide is used to treat high blood sugar levels caused by a type of diabetes mellitus called type 2 diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, your body does not work properly to store excess sugar and the sugar remains in your blood. High blood sugar over a long time can lead to serious health problems.

Proper diet is the first step in managing type 2 diabetes, but often medicines are needed. Chlorpropamide belongs to a class of drugs called sulfonylureas. It increases the release of insulin from the pancreas, which helps your body store sugar. This also lowers the level of sugar in the blood and restores the way you use food to make energy.

Chlorpropamide is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before using chlorpropamide

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For chlorpropamide, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to chlorpropamide or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of chlorpropamide in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Although appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of chlorpropamide have not been performed in the geriatric population, geriatric-specific problems are not expected to limit the usefulness of chlorpropamide in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related liver or kidney problems, which may require an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving chlorpropamide.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking chlorpropamide, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using chlorpropamide with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

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