Compare glyburide vs. Actos
Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, ratings, and more.
Lowers blood sugar.
Diabeta (glyburide) is a good oral anti-diabetic medicine, but can cause hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.
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3.3/ 5 average rating with 110 reviewsforglyburide
Lowers blood sugar.
Actos (pioglitazone) can improve blood sugar control but is not a top choice since it has a lot of side effects.
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3.1/ 5 average rating with 175 reviewsforActos
Upsides
- Available as an oral tablet.
- Lowers your A1c (average blood sugar over time) up to 2%.
- Available in generic version.
- Available in single pill combination with other anti-diabetic medicines.
- Improves sugar control and lowers A1c levels by around 1%.
- Easily taken by mouth as a once a day pill.
- Prevents the harmful effects of high sugar levels on your organs.
- Rarely causes low blood sugar.
- Lower the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Downsides
- More likely to cause hypoglycemia or low blood sugar than other types of oral anti-diabetics.
- You will have to check your blood sugar often when you first start taking it.
- Can cause weight gain (about 2 to 3 pounds).
- Not ideal for elderly or those with poor kidney function.
- May not work as well for those with severe diabetes and when pancreas cannot produce insulin.
- May take several weeks to lower blood sugar.
- Can cause weight gain.
- People with heart failure or history of bladder cancer shouldn't use this medicine.
- Some people might get fluid accumulation (edema), from minor ankle swelling to fluid in lungs that makes it hard to breathe.
- Raises the risk of bone fractures, especially for people who already have a risk for fractures.
Used for
- Type 2 diabetes
- Prediabetes
- Diabetic nephropathy
- Atherosclerosis
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Dosage forms
- Pill
- Pill
Price
Lowest price
$10.59
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$12.43
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Reviews
110 reviews so far
45%
saidit'sworth it
34%
saiditworked well
21%
saidit'sa big hassle
Have you used Diabeta (glyburide)?
Leave a review175 reviews so far
42%
saidit'sworth it
30%
saiditworked well
21%
saidit'sa big hassle
Have you used Actos (pioglitazone)?
Leave a reviewSide effects
11possible side effects
- Low blood sugar27%
- Swelling27%
- Colds and flu13%
- Headache9%
- Heart failure8%
- Sinus infection6%
- Back pain6%
- Pain in arms and legs6%
- Muscle pain5%
- Sore throat5%
- Chest pain5%
Risks and risk factors
- Low blood sugar
- Over age 65
- Kidney problems
- Use of other blood sugar lowering medicines
- Alcohol
- Intense physical activity
- Severe allergic reactions
- History of sulfa allergies
- Heart failure
- Heart failure
- Fluid buildup
- Liver damage
- Current liver problems
- Bladder cancer
- History of bladder cancer
- Bone fracture
- Women
- Low blood sugar