Chlorpropamide – uses, health risks, and side effects at NaturalPedia.com

Thursday, August 16, 2018 by Michelle Simmons

Chlorpropamide is typically prescribed for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. This drug belongs to a class of medications known as sulfonylureas. Chlorpropamide reduces blood sugar level by stimulating the pancreas to produce insulin and helping the body utilize insulin efficiently. However, this drug will only help reduce blood sugar in people whose bodies produce insulin naturally. Therefore, it cannot be used to treat type 1 diabetes, a condition in which the body does not make insulin, or diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious condition that may develop if high blood sugar is not treated.

Chlorpropamide is used together with diet and exercise. In some cases, it is also used together with other medications for diabetes. It comes as a tablet that is orally taken with breakfast once a day.

The drug is also known by the brand name Diabinese.

Known side effects of chlorpropamide

Chlorpropamide comes with many side effects. The common side effects that chlorpropamide can cause include the following:

Low blood sugar
Mild hunger or loss of appetite
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

Some side effects of chlorpropamide can be serious, which may require immediate medical attention. These include the following:

Allergic reaction with symptoms such as hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
A light-headed feeling, like you might pass out
A throbbing headache, sweating, severe nausea, trouble breathing, fast or pounding heartbeats, blurred vision, spinning sensation
Easy bruising or bleeding, pale skin, fever, and unusual weakness
Liver problems with symptoms such as nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, tired feeling, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, and yellowing of the skin or eyes
Severe skin reaction with symptoms such as fever, sore throat, swelling in your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the face or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling
Trouble concentrating, memory problems, and hallucinations

Body systems that may be harmed by chlorpropamide

The body systems that may be harmed by chlorpropamide include the digestive, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems.

Food items or nutrients that have similar effects to chlorpropamide

The following food items and herbs work similarly like chlorpropamide:

Antioxidant foods, such as berries
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon
High-fiber foods, such as beans and whole grains
Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli and peppers
Protein-rich foods, including lean meats, fish, and nuts
Sweet potatoes, which are lower glycemic index than other potatoes
Unsweetened teas
Water, especially as a substitute for sweetened drinks

Treatments, management plans for chlorpropamide’s side effects

Nausea, a common side effect of chlorpropamide, can be treated and managed by: drinking plenty of water; eating plain foods; breathing in a lemon; eating ginger; drinking herbal teas; breathing in peppermint oil; trying acupressure; taking enough rest.
Diarrhea, also a common side effect of chlorpropamide, can be treated and managed by drinking plenty of water and eating a bland diet.
Loss of appetite can be treated by eating nutrient- and calorie-dense foods, such as avocados, bananas, dried fruit, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, peas, eggs, hummus, cheese, pudding, nuts and nut butter, whole-grain bread and bagels, grape nuts, quinoa, and raisin bran.