Assessing the efficacy and safety of combined glimepiride and metformin therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus management

Background: The fixed drug combination (FDC) of glimepiride and metformin effectively controls blood glucose and improves glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the FDC of glimepiride and metformin in managing type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Materials and Methods: This retrospective, non-comparative, multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted at tertiary care centers in Nepal. Adult patients (aged 18 years or older) with T2DM were included. Primary outcomes included changes in HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and postprandial glucose (PPG) levels.

Results: A total of 287 patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 55.6 years and a predominance of females (62.41%). The average body mass index was 27.49 kg/m² and the median duration of T2DM was 4 years. Common risk factors included obesity (53.31%), smoking (45.30%), and a sedentary lifestyle (36.59%). The most prevalent treatment regimen was the combination of glimepiride 1 mg and metformin 1000 mg sustained release (54.77%). Post-glimepiride and metformin 1000 mg sustained release, the mean changes in HbA1c, FPG, and PPG were significant, with reductions of 2.45%, 64.53 mg/dL, and 102.64 mg/dL, respectively (P<0.001, each). Overall, physicians evaluated the efficacy and tolerability as good to excellent responses in a higher proportion of patients (94.9% and 96.2%, respectively).

Conclusion: The combination of glimepiride and metformin 1000 mg sustained release effectively improves glycemic control in patients with T2DM while demonstrating a favorable safety profile