Acarbose
About Acarbose
Acarbose is a prescription oral tablet used to manage blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. It works by slowing down the digestion of carbohydrates, which helps prevent sharp spikes in your blood sugar after you eat. Keeping your blood sugar in a safe range is essential to lowering the risk of long-term diabetes complications like kidney damage or nerve problems.
To get the best results, you must take this medication consistently with your main meals, usually three times a day. You should take each tablet with the very first bite of your meal to ensure it works correctly in your digestive tract. Combining this medicine with a balanced diet and regular physical activity will significantly improve your overall blood sugar control.
The most common side effects of Acarbose involve the digestive system, such as gas, stomach rumbling, and mild diarrhoea, which often improve as your body adjusts. However, if you experience persistent severe abdominal pain, worsening diarrhoea, or yellowing of your eyes and skin, you should consult your doctor immediately.
Do not take this if you have inflammatory bowel disease, severe liver disease like cirrhosis, blockages in your intestines, or chronic digestive disorders that affect how you absorb food. It is also not suitable for people with large hernias or conditions that might worsen due to increased intestinal gas. Always discuss your complete medical history with your healthcare provider before starting treatment.
This medication can interact with other drugs, including digestive enzymes, certain heart medications, and other diabetes medicines, which may increase your risk of low blood sugar. Avoid heavy alcohol use as it can affect your blood sugar levels, and consult your doctor if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or managing other chronic health conditions at an older age.
Uses of Acarbose
Medicinal Benefits
Acarbose helps manage blood sugar levels by slowing the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates in the intestine. This leads to a more gradual rise in blood sugar after meals and provides several long-term benefits:
- Reduces Post-Meal Blood Sugar Spikes: Helps slow the digestion of starches and sugars, promoting a smoother and more predictable increase in blood sugar levels after eating.
- Supports Steady Energy Levels: By reducing sudden blood sugar fluctuations, it may help minimise energy crashes, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating that can occur after high blood sugar spikes.
- Protects Long-Term Health: Maintaining more stable blood sugar levels over time may help reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications affecting the kidneys, eyes, heart, and blood vessels.
- Lower Risk of Low Blood Sugar: When used on its own, Acarbose has a lower risk of causing sudden low blood sugar because it works in the digestive tract rather than stimulating the pancreas to release more insulin.
Directions for Use
To get the full benefit of Acarbose, follow these step-by-step instructions carefully:
- Take the tablet orally with the very first bite of your main meal.
- Swallow the tablet whole with a sip of water, or chew it with your first mouthful of food as directed by your healthcare provider.
- Do not take the tablet on an empty stomach or between meals, as it will not be effective.
- If you find it difficult to swallow, talk to your pharmacist about alternative ways to take your medication safely.
Always follow your doctor's exact instructions regarding how many tablets to take. Your doctor may start you on a lower dose and gradually increase your dose to help minimise stomach-related side effects.
Storage
Side Effects of Acarbose
Common Side Effects (Usually mild)
- Excessive gas (flatulence)
- Stomach rumbling or bloating
- Mild stomach pain or cramping
- Soft stools or mild diarrhoea
Serious Side Effects (Consult your doctor right away)
- Severe, persistent abdominal pain or cramping
- Severe, watery, or ongoing diarrhoea
- Signs of liver damage, such as yellowing of your skin or eyes, dark urine, or severe nausea and vomiting
- Signs of an allergic reaction, including skin rash, itching, hives, or swelling of the face, lips, and tongue
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Drug Warnings
- Keep glucose tablets on hand: Always carry glucose gel or dextrose tablets with you. Regular table sugar, candy, or soda will not treat low blood sugar effectively while you are taking this medication.
- Avoid digestive aids: Do not take over-the-counter enzyme supplements (like amylase or pancreatin) or charcoal tablets, as they can stop Acarbose from working properly in your gut.
- Watch for liver health: Your doctor may perform routine blood tests to check your liver function while you are taking this medicine, especially during the first year of treatment. Keep all scheduled laboratory appointments.
- Watch your diet to reduce gas: Excessive intake of sugar or starches can worsen flatulence and bloating. Sticking to your recommended meal plan is the best way to keep these digestive side effects manageable.
- Inform all healthcare providers: Let your dentist, surgeon, and any other doctors know that you are taking Acarbose before undergoing any procedures or starting new treatments.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions
Acarbose is used to help manage blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. The detailed uses of Acarbose are as follows:
- Digestive enzymes and adsorbents: Medications containing digestive enzymes (such as amylase or pancreatin) and activated charcoal can significantly reduce the effectiveness of Acarbose.
- Sulfonylureas and insulin: Combining Acarbose with these medications increases your risk of developing low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
- Digoxin: This medicine may reduce the absorption of digoxin, potentially lowering its effectiveness in managing heart conditions.
- Thiazide diuretics and thyroid products: These medicines can raise blood sugar levels, which may require your doctor to adjust your diabetes treatment plan.
Drug-Food Interactions
Certain foods and beverages may affect how Acarbose works or increase the risk of side effects. Examples include:
- Household sugar (sucrose): Consuming table sugar, cane sugar, or sweetened foods while experiencing low blood sugar will not work because Acarbose delays the absorption of sucrose. Use pure dextrose or glucose instead.
Drug-Disease Interactions
Inform your doctor if you have a history of the following conditions before taking Acarbose, as it may worsen your condition or require additional monitoring:
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and intestinal blockages: Do not take this medicine if you have chronic bowel inflammation, ulcers, or a history of intestinal blockages, as increased gas production can worsen these conditions.
- Severe kidney or liver damage: People with severe kidney impairment or liver diseases like cirrhosis should avoid this medication, as it has not been fully studied or may cause further complications in these groups.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeYou are recommended to avoid consumption of alcohol with Acarbose as it may cause high or low blood sugar levels.
Pregnancy
unsafeAcarbose is a Category B pregnancy drug and is generally not recommended for pregnant women, as there is no clinical data available on use in pregnant women.
Breast Feeding
unsafeAvoid breastfeeding while taking Acarbose as it may be excreted in breast milk.
Driving
safe if prescribedAcarbose usually does not affect your ability to drive or operate machinery.
Liver
cautionTake Acarbose with caution, especially if you have a history of liver problems like cirrhosis, as it may worsen your condition. Your doctor may adjust the dose or prescribe a suitable alternative based on your condition.
Kidney
cautionPatients with diabetes who also have end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or chronic kidney disease (CKD) should not use Acarbose. Your doctor may adjust the dose or prescribe a suitable alternative based on your condition.
Children
unsafeIt is not recommended for children.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Treat lows with pure glucose: If you experience low blood sugar while taking Acarbose alongside other diabetes medications, you must treat it with pure glucose (such as dextrose tablets or gels) rather than regular sugar. Because this medicine blocks the breakdown of table sugar, regular sweets, soda, or juice will not raise your blood sugar quickly enough in an emergency.
- Manage carbohydrate portion sizes: Eat consistent, moderate portions of complex carbohydrates (like whole grains and vegetables) across your meals to help the medicine work steadily and minimise gas.
- Monitor your blood sugar: Keep a regular log of your pre-meal and post-meal blood sugar levels as directed by your healthcare team to track how well your treatment plan is working.
- Stay active: Engage in regular, moderate exercise like walking after meals to help your muscles burn glucose more efficiently, which works hand-in-hand with your medication.
Special Advise
- Keep taking Acarbose even if you think your blood sugar levels are under control.
- If you miss a dose, do not take a larger dose; consult your doctor for advice.
- Take short, frequent meals and avoid prolonged fasting when taking Acarbose.
- Beware of symptoms of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar), which include sweating, dizziness, palpitations, shivering, intense thirst, dry mouth, dry skin, frequent urination, etc. Whenever you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms, immediately consume 5-6 candies, 3 glucose biscuits, or 3 teaspoons of honey/sugar and also get in touch with your physician. Make sure to carry these with you at all times, especially during long travels.
- Regular blood tests are recommended while taking Acarbose to monitor blood sugar levels and check enzyme levels in the blood.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Type 2 diabetes: It is a chronic (long-lasting) condition that keeps the body from properly utilising insulin. Hence, people affected with type 2 diabetes either do not produce enough insulin or there is resistance to the action of insulin. Middle-aged or older individuals are most likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes, so it is also known as adult-onset diabetes. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes include increased thirst, frequent urination at night, slow wound healing, increased hunger, fatigue, and blurred vision. In some cases, there may be weight gain, while in rare cases, weight loss may be observed. The complication of type 2 diabetes also includes nerve problems, kidney problems, damaged retina of the eyes or blindness, loss of limbs, sexual dysfunction, and an increased chance of heart attack or stroke.
FAQs
Acarbose is used to treat type 2 diabetes, especially in patients whose blood sugar levels are not controlled by diet and exercise alone.
No, you are not recommended to take Acarbose with digoxin (used to treat heart problems) as co-administration of these two medicines may decrease the effectiveness of digoxin by reducing its amount in the blood. If you are supposed to use these medicines together, you are advised to contact your doctor so that the dose may be adjusted appropriately and used safely.
Acarbose works by inhibiting the action of intestinal enzymes that break down complex sugars and starches into simple sugars. This delays the absorption of sugar into the blood and reduces the abnormal rise in blood sugar levels after meals.
Yes, Acarbose may cause diarrhoea as a common side effect. Intake of household sugar (cane sugar) or foods containing it can also lead to diarrhoea or severe discomfort in the stomach. However, if the condition worsens or persists for more than 2 or 3 days, please consult your doctor.
No, Acarbose alone does not cause low blood sugar. However, low blood sugar may occur if Acarbose is taken along with other antidiabetic medicines, alcohol intake, exercise more than usual, delay or miss snacks or meals. However, if you experience any signs of low blood pressure such as dizziness, nausea, light-headedness, dehydration or fainting, please consult a doctor.
You are not advised to take more than the recommended dose of Acarbose as it may cause Acarbose overdose, resulting in increased flatulence (gas), stomach discomfort, and diarrhoea. In case of overdose, avoid intake of drinks and foods containing carbohydrates for the next 4 to 6 hours. However, if the symptoms persist or worsen, please consult a doctor.
No, you are not recommended to stop taking Acarbose on your own, as discontinuing Acarbose suddenly may cause recurring symptoms or worsen the condition. However, if you experience any difficulty while taking Acarbose, please consult your doctor so that an alternate medicine may be prescribed.
The side effects of Acarbose include stomach pain, diarrhoea and flatulence (gas). If these side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
Acarbose should be taken with meals either chewed with the first bite of food or swallowed whole with water. Use as advised by the doctor.
If you forget to take a dose of Acarbose, take it as soon as you remember. But, if it is time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your regular dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
Patients who are allergic to Acarbose, have inflammation or ulceration of the intestine (eg Crohn’s disease), severe liver disease, or intestinal obstruction (cramping pain, vomiting, severe constipation, and lack of flatus), large hernia or an intestinal disease where food is not digested or absorbed properly should avoid taking Acarbose. Also, pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid taking Acarbose.
No, taking Acarbose on an empty stomach is not effective. This medicine must be taken with the first bite of a main meal so it can interact with the digestive enzymes and food in your intestine. If you skip a meal, you should skip the dose. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist for more personalised advice.
If you experience low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) while taking Acarbose alongside other diabetes drugs, you must treat it immediately with pure glucose, such as dextrose tablets or glucose gel. Regular sugar, soda, or candy will not work quickly enough because Acarbose blocks their breakdown. Talk to your doctor if you experience frequent low blood sugar episodes.
Acarbose slows down the digestion of carbohydrates, which means some undigested starches reach your large intestine. The natural bacteria in your colon ferment these starches, producing gas, bloating, and stomach rumbling. These symptoms are usually mild and improve over time as your body adjusts. Talk to your doctor if these symptoms become severe.
It is best to limit or avoid alcohol while taking Acarbose. Alcohol can affect your liver function and make your blood sugar levels more unpredictable, increasing your risk of experiencing low blood sugar. Talk to your doctor about what is safe for you.
Acarbose begins working with your very first dose to slow down carbohydrate digestion during that meal. However, it may take several weeks of consistent use, alongside diet and exercise, to see a significant improvement in your overall blood sugar levels. Talk to your doctor to monitor your progress.
There is limited clinical data on the safety of Acarbose during pregnancy. Generally, other treatments are preferred to manage diabetes during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor to determine the safest treatment plan.
Yes, Acarbose is frequently prescribed alongside other diabetes medications like metformin, sulfonylureas, or insulin. However, combining these treatments can increase your risk of low blood sugar, which must be treated specifically with pure glucose. Talk to your doctor before changing your medication regimen.
Acarbose is not a weight-loss medication, and its primary purpose is to control blood sugar levels. While some patients may notice modest changes in weight due to improved blood sugar management and dietary adjustments, it is not prescribed for weight loss. Talk to your doctor about safe strategies for weight management.
