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).