General Info:

Gliclazide (Diamicron Mr) is an oral hypoglycemic medication used for the control of blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes. It is used when diet, exercise, and weight reduction have not been found to control blood glucose well enough on their own. Gliclazide (Diamicron Mr) increases the amount of insulin released by the pancreas and helps the body use insulin more efficiently.

People with type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent diabetes) have a deficiency of a hormone called insulin. Insulin is produced by the pancreas and is the main hormone responsible for controlling sugar levels in the blood. It normally makes the cells of the body remove excess sugar from the blood. In type 2 diabetes insulin is produced inefficiently in response to surges of blood sugar, such as following a meal. The cells of the body also become resistant to the action of insulin that is produced, which means that blood sugar levels can become too high.

Gliclazide (Diamicron Mr) works mainly by stimulating the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. These cells are called beta cells. Gliclazide (Diamicron Mr) causes the beta cells to produce more insulin. This helps to decrease the amount of sugar in the blood of people with type 2 diabetes.

Gliclazide (Diamicron Mr) also has effects in the blood vessels. It has been shown to prevent blood cells called platelets from clumping together in the blood. It also increases the breakdown of blood clots that form within the blood vessels. This may help prevent the long-term complications of diabetes, which may be partly due to changes in the blood vessels caused by these mechanisms.