Drug interactions
Glimepiride + Ritonavir
Severity: Moderate
Glimepiride and Ritonavir: 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
Ritonavir can induce insulin resistance and hyperglycemia, and it may also alter glimepiride metabolism in either direction. Glycemic control can therefore become unpredictable.
What this interaction means in plain words
Glimepiride and Ritonavir 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.
Glimepiride belongs to Endocrine; Ritonavir belongs to Anti Virals.
Why it happens
Protease inhibitor-induced insulin resistance combined with mixed CYP inhibition and induction affecting glimepiride clearance.
What to do
Monitor blood glucose frequently after starting or stopping ritonavir and adjust the glimepiride dose, or choose another antidiabetic if control is unstable.
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 Glimepiride and Ritonavir, 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 Glimepiride
Other interactions of Ritonavir
- Alfuzosin + Ritonavir Contraindicated
- Amiodarone + Ritonavir Contraindicated
- Avanafil + Ritonavir Contraindicated
- Colchicine + Ritonavir Contraindicated
- Dronedarone + Ritonavir Contraindicated
- Eletriptan + Ritonavir Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Glimepiride with Ritonavir?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Glimepiride and Ritonavir 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. Ritonavir can induce insulin resistance and hyperglycemia, and it may also alter glimepiride metabolism in either direction. Glycemic control can therefore become unpredictable.
How serious is the interaction between Glimepiride and Ritonavir?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor blood glucose frequently after starting or stopping ritonavir and adjust the glimepiride dose, or choose another antidiabetic if control is unstable.
What other medicines interact with Glimepiride?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Glimepiride with, for example, Fluconazole, Insulin degludec-liraglutide, Insulin glargine-lixisenatide. The full list is on the Glimepiride 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.
