Telephone: 

604-548 6688

Fax: 

604-548 6700

Click here 

for Address & Maps

Language:

Tolazamide, Oral tole-AZ-a-mide

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antidiabetic

Generic and brand names: tolazamide, oral

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine helps control high blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.

This medicine may be used alone or along with other diabetes medicines.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

  • an allergic reaction to any medicine
  • diabetic ketoacidosis or diabetic coma
  • G6PD deficiency
  • heart problems
  • kidney or liver disease
  • a thyroid, pituitary, or adrenal gland disorder

Also tell your healthcare provider if you currently have an infection or are scheduled to have surgery.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval. Your healthcare provider may prescribe insulin during pregnancy and breast-feeding as a safer way to control blood sugar levels.

How do I take it?

Check the label on the medicine for directions about your specific dose. Take this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes, at the same time every day. Do not stop taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval. Do not miss doses or take more than prescribed.

Take this medicine with a meal.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take double doses. If you are not sure of what to do if you miss a dose, or if you miss more than one dose, contact your healthcare provider.

What if I overdose?

If you or anyone else has intentionally taken too much of this medicine, call 911 or go to the emergency room right away. If you pass out, have seizures, weakness or confusion, or have trouble breathing, call 911. If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much of this medicine, call the poison control center. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. The poison control center number is 800-222-1222.

Symptoms of an acute overdose may include: hunger, nausea, anxiety, blurred vision, sweating, extreme weakness, drowsiness, fainting, tremors, stomach pain, confusion, seizures, coma.

What should I watch out for?

Some medicines used to treat diabetes have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease. It is not known if this medicine increases your risk. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

Usually you will take this medicine while you follow a diet and exercise program prescribed by your healthcare provider.

If your healthcare provider wants you to test your blood sugar at home, follow his or her directions carefully. You need to check your blood sugar daily. Keep records of your blood sugar readings and bring this with you to your appointments with your provider.

Adults over the age of 65 may be at greater risk for side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

Talk to your healthcare provider before you take other medicines, including nonprescription products. Do not drink alcohol while taking this medicine unless your healthcare provider approves.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can occur if you miss or delay meals, drink too much alcohol, take too much medicine, or exercise more than usual. Symptoms of low blood sugar include confusion, shaking, weakness, strong hunger, cold sweats, headache, nausea, vision problems, and feeling faint. It is a good habit to carry glucose tablets or gel to treat low blood sugar. You can also eat honey or candy, or drink a glass of orange juice or nondiet soda to quickly raise your blood sugar level. Do not use chocolate because the fat content slows down the sugar entering the bloodstream.

This medicine may make your skin more sensitive to the sun and may make you sunburn more easily. Wear protective clothing and sunscreen lotion when you are exposed to the sun. Do not use a sunlamp. If you get a severe sunburn, contact your healthcare provider right away.

If you need emergency care, surgery, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you are taking this medicine. Carry an ID card or medical ID bracelet saying that you have diabetes. If you are unconscious, this makes sure that emergency healthcare providers know that you are a diabetic and need special care.

This medicine may cause vision problems, drowsiness, or dizziness. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat); seizures, fainting.

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Unusual tiredness or weakness; dark urine; fever; sore throat; unusual bleeding or bruising; very light colored bowel movements; yellowish eyes or skin; confusion; trouble concentrating; shaking; weakness; strong hunger; sweating; headache; nausea; vision problems; feeling faint.

Other: Heartburn, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, loss of appetite, rash, itching, sensitivity to the sun, constipation, gas, weight gain.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

  • alcohol
  • androgens such as danazol, methyltestosterone (Android), and testosterone (Androderm, AndroGel)
  • antibiotics such as chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin (Cipro), gemifloxacin (Factive), clarithromycin (Biaxin), isoniazid, levofloxacin (Levaquin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin (Floxin), and rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)
  • cyclosporine (Neoral, Gengraf, Sandimmune)
  • antifungal medicines such as fluconazole (Diflucan) and miconazole (Micatin, Oravig)
  • antiseizure medicines such as carbamazepine (Tegretol) and phenytoin (Dilantin)
  • beta blockers such as acebutolol (Sectral), atenolol (Tenormin), carvedilol (Coreg), labetalol (Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), nadolol (Corgard), pindolol, propranolol (Inderal LA), and sotalol (Betapace)
  • medicine that reduces the chance of blood clots forming such as warfarin (Coumadin)
  • calcium channel blockers such as felodipine, nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), and verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan)
  • corticosteroids such as betamethasone (Celestone), dexamethasone, fludrocortisone (Florinef), hydrocortisone (Cortef), methylprednisolone (Medrol), prednisolone (Orapred), and prednisone
  • disopyramide (Norpace)
  • diuretics (water pills) such as chlorothiazide (Diuril), bumetanide, ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide), methyclothiazide, and torsemide (Demadex)
  • estrogen-containing products such as Premarin, Menest, Cenestin, Estraderm, Vivelle-Dot, Femtrace, Alora, and Ortho Evra
  • fluoxetine (Prozac)
  • gemfibrozil (Lopid)
  • hormonal birth control such as pills implants, shots, patches, or vaginal rings
  • medicines to treat stomach acid such as cimetidine (Tagamet), famotidine (Pepcid), and ranitidine (Zantac)
  • natural remedies such as chromium, fenugreek, garlic, ginseng, ginkgo biloba, kava, and willow bark
  • MAO inhibitor antidepressants such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), and tranylcypromine (Parnate) (Do not take this medicine and an MAO inhibitor within 14 days of each other.)
  • nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDS) such as celecoxib (Celebrex), diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), fenoprofen (Nalfon), flurbiprofen, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen, ketorolac (Toradol), nabumetone (Relafen), naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn, Naprelan), oxaprozin (Daypro), piroxicam (Feldene), and sulindac (Clinoril)
  • nicotinic acid
  • pegvisomant (Somavert)
  • phenothiazines such as chlorpromazine, prochlorperazine, perphenazine, thioridazine, and trifluoperazine
  • probenecid
  • salicylates, including aspirin
  • sulfa medicines such as sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (Bactrim, Septra) and sulfisoxazole
  • thyroid medicines such as levothyroxine (Levothroid, Levoxyl, Synthroid, Unithroid), liothyronine (Cytomel), liotrix (Thyrolar), and thyroid USP (Armour Thyroid)
  • tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, amoxapine, clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin, imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil)
  • verteporfin (Visudyne)

Many medicines may change how well this medicine controls your blood sugar. Be sure to tell the healthcare provider who prescribed this medicine about any other medicines you are taking, including nonprescription products. Also, tell any other healthcare providers who treat you that you are taking this medicine for diabetes.

Many nonprescription products contain sugar, alcohol, or other ingredients that may interfere with this medicine or increase your blood sugar. Check product labels for warnings for diabetics or ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for advice.

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.


This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.


Developed by RelayHealth.
Medication Advisor 2012.1 published by RelayHealth.
Last modified: 2011-05-05
Last reviewed: 2011-03-24
This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.
© 2012 RelayHealth and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Contact KPJ Penang Specialist Hospital Call: 04-548 66 88 Contact Us Online Request an Appointment