title: The effect of the timing and the administration of acarbose on postprandial hyperglycaemia.
abstract: To clarify the optimum timing for ingestion of acarbose, a 100 mg dose of this oral hypoglycaemic agent was administered 30 min before, at the beginning, and 15 min after ingestion of a test meal, and the effects of the drug on blood glucose rises were compared with increases observed after a control meal (no drug). Twenty-four patients with Type 2 diabetes were included in a randomized, open, cross-over study. The smallest increases in blood glucose (p < 0.001) occurred when acarbose was taken at the beginning and 15 min after starting the test meal (3.3 +/- 1.6 mmol l-1 and 3.3 +/- 1.4 mmol l-1). The increase in blood glucose levels when acarbose was taken 30 min before the test meal was significantly higher (4.2 +/- 1.8 mmol l-1) and it was at its maximum following the control meal (5.2 +/- 1.7 mmol l-1). Similar results were observed when the effects of acarbose on insulin and C-peptide levels were measured. It is recommended that patients should be instructed to take acarbose with their first mouthful of food.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetology and Metabolic Disorders, Krankenhaus Sachsenhausen, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rosak
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nitzsche
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: König
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hofmann
mesh_terms: D020909:Acarbose; D000284:Administration, Oral; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D014312:Trisaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D014312:Trisaccharides; D020909:Acarbose