Definition

1. Noun:
   • An oral antidiabetic drug: Tolbutamide is a medication taken by mouth to lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes mellitus.
   • A sulfonylurea compound: It belongs to a specific class of drugs called sulfonylureas, which work by stimulating the pancreas to release more insulin.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The doctor prescribed tolbutamide to help manage her type 2 diabetes.
  • As an older sulfonylurea, tolbutamide has a relatively short duration of action.

Advanced Usage

• Clinical context: Tolbutamide is specifically indicated for the treatment of adult-onset, or type 2, diabetes mellitus and is not used for type 1 diabetes.
  • The study compared the efficacy of tolbutamide with newer generation sulfonylureas.

Variants and Related Words

• Orinase (n): A common trade name for tolbutamide.
  • The patient's prescription was written for Orinase, which contains tolbutamide.

Synonyms

• Oral hypoglycemic agent: A general term for medications taken by mouth to lower blood sugar.
• Antidiabetic drug: A broader term for any medication used to treat diabetes mellitus.

Notes on Meaning

• Tolbutamide refers specifically to the chemical drug substance itself. Its primary and only meaning is as a pharmaceutical agent for diabetes management. It does not have other general or idiomatic meanings.

Noun

1. sulfonylurea; an oral antidiabetic drug (trade name Orinase) used in the treatment of adult-onset diabetes mellitus