Acarbose - Stepwards

Page Contents

1 WHAT IS IT?
2 WHEN DO WE USE IT?
3 WHEN DO WE AVOID USING IT?
4 HOW IS IT ADMINISTERED?
5 WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS/TOXICITY?
6 ANYTHING ELSE TO KEEP IN MIND?
7 FURTHER READING

WHAT IS IT?

Acarbose is a alpha-glucosidase inhibitor that prevents glucose absorption in the intestines. Alpha-glucosidase is an enzyme that is used for carbohydrate hydrolysis (necessary for digestion of carbohydrates) so blocking its activity directly inhibits the absorption of glucose into the intestines.

WHEN DO WE USE IT?

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (as monotherapy or in combination with other medications)

WHEN DO WE AVOID USING IT?

In patients with:

Diabetic ketoacidosis
Liver cirrhosis
Inflammatory bowel disease (such as Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis)

HOW IS IT ADMINISTERED?

Administered orally at the beginning of each meal.

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS/TOXICITY?

Diarrhea (osmotic, after eating), flatulence (bacterial breakdown of carbohydrates retained in intestinal lumen), hepatic effects (increase in ALT/AST seen with usage).

ANYTHING ELSE TO KEEP IN MIND?

Unknown if distributed into the milk of humans (distributed into the milk of rats).