see also:

• oral hypoglycaemic agents

• derived from the sulphonamides
• act by increasing insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells by binding an ATPase K+ channel ⇒ reduced K efflux ⇒ depolarisation ⇒ opens voltage gated Ca gates ⇒ rise in intracellular calcium ⇒ increased fusion of insulin granulae with the cell membrane ⇒ increased secretion of (pro)insulin.
• potentially teratogenic and cannot be used in pregnancy or in patients who may become pregnant.
• can induce weight gain, mainly as a result their effect to increase insulin levels and thus utilization of glucose and other metabolic fuels
• may cause hypoglycaemia
• have varying half lives thus some can be taken once a day while others need to be taken bd or tds

• chlorpropamide
• tolbutamide (bd or tds dosing)

• have increased potency by weight
• glipizide
• gliclizide
• glibenclamide - now the most popular sulfonylurea agent. May cause cholestasis.
• gliquidone
• glyclopyramide
• glimepiride (once daily dosing)