FDA warns people with diabetes to avoid product sold for blood glucose management
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Key takeaways:
- The FDA says people with diabetes should not use Dr. Ergin’s SugarMD Advanced Glucose Support.
- The nonprescription product contains glyburide and metformin and could lead to adverse events.
The FDA issued a warning for consumers to avoid using a nonprescription product currently being sold for blood glucose management due to risks for adverse events, according to an agency press release.
Dr. Ergin’s SugarMD Advanced Glucose Support is a product that can be purchased online at www.sugarmds.com and possibly in some retail stores. The FDA said it conducted a laboratory analysis of the product and confirmed it contains glyburide and metformin, two active ingredients that can be found in several FDA-approved prescription drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The FDA said people who use the product could take a larger combined dose of the diabetes drugs than they intend, which could lead to adverse events. The risk for adverse events is highest for people with chronic kidney disease.
According to the release, glyburide may lead to hypoglycemia that could quickly become severe, resulting in seizures, coma or death. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include fast heartbeat, shaking, sweating, nervousness or anxiety, irritability or confusion, dizziness, drowsiness, headache and hunger.
Metformin could cause the rare but serious side effect of lactic acidosis, which could lead to death if untreated. Symptoms of lactic acidosis include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, body aches, respiratory distress, abdominal pain and fast, deep breathing. Metformin can also lead to hypoglycemia when taken with other medications for lowering glucose.
The FDA said glyburide and metformin should be taken by patients only if they have a prescription. People with diabetes should inform their health care providers about all the medications they are taking, including nonprescription medications.
The FDA is not aware of any adverse events connected with the use of this product but recommends that anyone who purchased the product properly discard it.
Anyone who experiences adverse events related to the product can report it to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program by completing a report online at www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch or by submitting it via fax at 1-800-FDA-0178.
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