Tolbutamide Loading in the Initial Therapy of Diabetes Mellitus

A controlled study has been made comparing a loading dose schedule of tolbutamide with a maintenance dose schedule in the initial therapy of fourteen patients with maturity-onset diabetes mellitus. No advantage of one dose schedule over another was found. Since hypoglycemia may occur when large doses of tolbutamide are used, these results provide supporting evidence for those who recommend use of low doses of this drug in the initial therapy of patients with diabetes mellitus.