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Acarbose Generic Name & Formulations
Legal Class
Rx
General Description
Acarbose 25mg, 50mg, 100mg; tabs.
Pharmacological Class
Alpha-glucosidase inhibitor.
How Supplied
Contact supplier
Manufacturer
Acarbose Indications
Indications
Adjunct to diet in type 2 diabetes, alone or with insulin, metformin, or a sulfonylurea.
Acarbose Dosage and Administration
Adult
Take with first bite of each main meal. Initially 25mg three times daily; increase at 4–8 wk intervals if needed. Or, (to minimize GI effects): initially 25mg once daily, increase gradually to 25mg three times daily. Range: 50–100mg three times daily. ≤60kg: max 50mg three times daily; >60kg: max 100mg three times daily.
Children
Not established.
Acarbose Contraindications
Contraindications
Ketoacidosis. Cirrhosis. Inflammatory bowel disease. Colonic ulceration. Partial or predisposition to intestinal obstruction. Chronic intestinal disease with marked disorders of digestion or absorption. Conditions that may deteriorate from increased intestinal gas formation.
Acarbose Boxed Warnings
Not Applicable
Acarbose Warnings/Precautions
Warnings/Precautions
Significant renal dysfunction (serum creatinine >2mg/dL): not recommended. Use glucose, not sucrose, to treat hypoglycemia. Stress. Monitor 1-hour postprandial glucose initially and during titration, then glycosylated hemoglobin. Monitor serum transaminases every 3 months during 1st year and periodically thereafter. Pregnancy (Cat.B): consider insulin instead. Nursing mothers: not recommended.
Acarbose Pharmacokinetics
See Literature
Acarbose Interactions
Interactions
Caution with drugs that cause hyperglycemia (eg, diuretics, steroids, estrogens, phenothiazines, thyroid products, phenytoin, niacin, sympathomimetics, calcium channel blockers, isoniazid). Antagonized by intestinal adsorbents (eg, charcoal), pancreatin, amylase, other carbohydrate-splitting enzymes. Monitor digoxin; and for hypoglycemia if used with insulin or a sulfonylurea. May result in unreliable measurements of 1,5-AG assay; use alternative methods to monitor glycemic control.
Acarbose Adverse Reactions
Adverse Reactions
Transient flatulence, diarrhea, abdominal pain.
Acarbose Clinical Trials
See Literature
Acarbose Note
Notes
Formerly known under the brand name Precose.
Acarbose Patient Counseling
See Literature
