Drug interactions
Ethanol + Glipizide
Severity: Moderate
Ethanol and Glipizide: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Alcohol increases the risk of hypoglycemia with glipizide, especially with fasting or heavy intake, and can disturb glycemic control. Disulfiram-like reactions are rare.
What this interaction means in plain words
Ethanol and Glipizide can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Alcohol inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis, adding to the insulin secretagogue effect of the sulfonylurea.
What to do
Advise avoiding alcohol or limiting it to small amounts with food. Educate on hypoglycemia symptoms and monitor glucose.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Ethanol and Glipizide, the additional notes, the evidence detail and the whole-prescription interaction checker.
- Full clinical management advice
- Additional notes
- Evidence detail
- Interaction checker for a whole prescription
Try Pro+ free for 7 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Glipizide
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Ethanol with Glipizide?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Ethanol and Glipizide can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Alcohol increases the risk of hypoglycemia with glipizide, especially with fasting or heavy intake, and can disturb glycemic control. Disulfiram-like reactions are rare.
How serious is the interaction between Ethanol and Glipizide?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Advise avoiding alcohol or limiting it to small amounts with food. Educate on hypoglycemia symptoms and monitor glucose.
What other medicines interact with Glipizide?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Glipizide with, for example, Disopyramide, Fluconazole, Insulin degludec-liraglutide. The full list is on the Glipizide page.
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.
