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Children Given Glimepiride Instead of Paracetamol in Gujarat

Children Given Glimepiride Instead of Paracetamol in Gujarat
Children given diabetes medicine instead of paracetamol in Gujarat: What happens when glimepiride is mistakenly administered · indianexpress.com

Five children in Gujarat were supposed to receive paracetamol after their vaccinations.

Instead, they were reportedly given glimepiride, a medicine used to lower blood sugar in people with diabetes.

This medicine can make a child’s blood sugar fall dangerously low.

Signs can include sweating, shaking, sleepiness, vomiting, confusion, seizures, or fainting.

The effects can last a long time or return after treatment.

The children were taken to a hospital for care and monitoring.

Four were discharged, and one was still being treated but was stable.

Officials suspended or began action against staff while investigating the mistake.

Doctors said medicine labels, storage, prescriptions, and final checks should be carefully reviewed to prevent similar errors.

Key facts

Children affected
Five
Medicine intended
Paracetamol
Medicine given
Glimepiride, a diabetes medicine
Outcome reported
Four children discharged; one remained under treatment and stable
Reported complications
Severe reactions, including possible dangerously low blood sugar; reports also mentioned ICU admission
Official action
The nurse was suspended; two doctors received show-cause notices, although another report described the doctors as suspended pending inquiry
Medical advice
Suspected glimepiride exposure requires immediate medical evaluation and repeated blood-glucose monitoring

Quotes

Dr Rajiv Kovil

Diabetes and obesity specialist at Zandra Healthcare

“Any child who accidentally receives a glucose-lowering medicine should be treated as an emergency and evaluated immediately, rather than waiting for symptoms to develop.”
indianexpress.com
“Unlike paracetamol, which is used to reduce fever and pain, glimepiride stimulates the pancreas to release insulin.”
indianexpress.com

Praful Pansheriya

Gujarat state Health Minister discussing the medication mix-up

“The children immediately began to suffer adverse effects.”
indianexpress.com

Sources

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