Medicines for other conditions that may lower blood sugar level as a side effect

Some medicines for other conditions can lower your blood sugar level or can interfere with whether you develop symptoms of low blood sugar. This is a concern when you have diabetes. Talk with your doctor before taking any new medicine.

Medicines that can lower your blood sugar level include:

• Medicines to reduce fever and relieve pain, such as salicylate medicines like aspirin. Do not give aspirin to a person 20 years and younger because aspirin has been linked to Reye syndrome.
• Medicines to treat some types of mental disorders, such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).
• Quinine sulfate.
• Pentamidine, such as NebuPent and Pentam 300.

Some medicines can interfere with whether you develop symptoms of low blood sugar , leading to your blood sugar level dropping very low before you are aware of it. These medicines include heart medicines (beta-blockers) such as propranolol (for example, Inderal), nadolol (for example, Corgard), and metoprolol (for example, Lopressor).