Drug interactions
Insulin detemir + Tolbutamide
Severity: Moderate
Insulin detemir and Tolbutamide: 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
Tolbutamide combined with insulin has additive glucose-lowering effects and increases the risk of hypoglycemia, particularly in elderly patients or those with renal impairment or irregular meals.
What this interaction means in plain words
Insulin detemir and Tolbutamide 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.
Insulin detemir belongs to Endocrine; Tolbutamide belongs to Endocrine.
Why it happens
Additive pharmacodynamic effect: tolbutamide stimulates endogenous insulin secretion in addition to exogenous insulin.
What to do
Monitor blood glucose closely when starting, stopping or adjusting either drug, and reduce the dose of tolbutamide or insulin if hypoglycemia occurs.
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?
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Other interactions of Insulin detemir
Other interactions of Tolbutamide
- Glyburide-metformin + Tolbutamide Major
- Insulin degludec-liraglutide + Tolbutamide Major
- Aceclofenac + Tolbutamide Moderate
- Acemetacin + Tolbutamide Moderate
- Acetylsalicylic acid + Tolbutamide Moderate
- Albiglutide + Tolbutamide Moderate
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Insulin detemir with Tolbutamide?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Insulin detemir and Tolbutamide 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. Tolbutamide combined with insulin has additive glucose-lowering effects and increases the risk of hypoglycemia, particularly in elderly patients or those with renal impairment or irregular meals.
How serious is the interaction between Insulin detemir and Tolbutamide?
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 closely when starting, stopping or adjusting either drug, and reduce the dose of tolbutamide or insulin if hypoglycemia occurs.
What other medicines interact with Insulin detemir?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Insulin detemir with, for example, Alogliptin-pioglitazone, Ethanol, Glimepiride-pioglitazone. The full list is on the Insulin detemir page.
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