Acarbose treatment of sulfonylurea-treated non-insulin dependent diabetics. A double-blind cross-over comparison of an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor with metformin

Abstract

The postprandial blood glucose rise after a standard meal in six non-insulin dependent diabetics was significantly lower when acarbose 200 mg was taken together with the meal than without acarbose. Eight weeks acarbose treatment (300 mg), however, did not change fasting blood glucose. The effect of four weeks administration of the alpha-glucosidase inhibitor acarbose (300 mg) on diabetes regulation in another ten non-insulin dependent diabetics was compared with metformin (500 mg) in a double-blind cross-over study. Acarbose lowered postprandial blood glucose level from 11.5 +/- 4.2 to 8.9 +/- 1.8 mmol/l (p less than 0.02) and haemoglobin Alc from 8.1 +/- 1.8 to 7.7 +/- 1.7% (p less than 0.05). Urinary glucose was also decreased. Metformin did not significantly change postprandial blood glucose, haemoglobin A1c and urinary glucose excretion with the prescribed dose. The postprandial blood glucose and haemoglobin A1c after 4 weeks of treatment with acarbose and of metformin did not differ significantly. Side-effects of both drugs were mild and mainly gastrointestinal, but the frequency of side-effects was not different.