Examples
| acarbose |
Precose |
| miglitol |
Glyset |
How It Works
Acarbose
and miglitol help keep blood sugar levels within a
target range by slowing the rate at which the intestines
absorb sugar (glucose) from food. These medicines do not cause the
pancreas to produce more insulin. They will not cause
low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) unless they are used in combination with other
oral medicines for diabetes or with
insulin.
Why It Is Used
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors have
proved helpful for people with
type 2 diabetes who have not been able to keep their
blood sugar levels within a safe range by eating a balanced diet, losing
weight, and exercising. They are very helpful in controlling the blood sugar
levels of people who have high blood sugar levels right after they eat.
These medicines are most useful for people who have just been diagnosed
with type 2 diabetes and who have blood sugar levels only slightly above the
level for diabetes. They may also be used to treat people who are taking other
medicine for diabetes, such as metformin.1
Both medicines may be used alone, with another medicine for diabetes,
or with insulin.
How Well It Works
These medicines have been found
to be especially helpful for people who tend to have high blood sugar levels
right after they eat (postprandial hyperglycemia).
People taking
insulin who start using acarbose usually are able to decrease the amount of
insulin they take.
People taking acarbose alone tend not to gain
weight or may lose a small amount of weight.
Side Effects
The most common side effects are
temporary digestive symptoms: typically belly discomfort, excessive gas
(flatulence), and diarrhea. You may be able to reduce this side effect by
decreasing the amount of high-carbohydrate foods you eat, such as
pasta, breads, and rice.
See Drug Reference for
a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all
systems.)
What To Think About
These medicines do not cause
low blood sugar or weight gain, which are common side effects of the
sulfonylurea medicines and insulin.
Acarbose and miglitol may
need to be taken 3 times a day, with each meal.
If you take one
of these medicines along with another medicine that lowers blood sugar (such
as insulin or a sulfonylurea medicine), your blood sugar level can drop very
low. If your blood sugar level does drop too low, use glucose tablets—rather
than other simple sugars such as fructose, lactose, or sucrose—to raise your
blood sugar level. If you do not treat low blood sugar with glucose tablets, it
may require more food to raise your blood sugar level than it would for a
person who is not taking one of these medicines.
Children
Few studies have been done on the use of
oral medicines for type 2 diabetes in children. And these medicines have
not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in
children. But because these oral medicines are safe for adults, most doctors use them to treat children who have type 2 diabetes. Also, these
medicines are not absorbed into the bloodstream, so they do not have
systemic side effects.
But the increase in belly gas
associated with their use makes them less desirable than other oral medicines
for diabetes.
Complete the new medication information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.
References
Citations
-
American Diabetes Association (2009). Medical management of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes: A consensus algorithm for the initiation and adjustment of therapy. Diabetes Care, 32: 193–203.
Credits
|
By
|
Healthwise Staff |
|
Primary Medical Reviewer
|
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
|
Specialist Medical Reviewer
|
Matthew I. Kim, MD - Endocrinology |
|
Last Revised
|
June 9, 2010 |