Acarbose, a sugar with a fancy name, is not a real sugar. It is an important member of the glucose-lowering drug family. In July 1984, the first acarbose (Bactrim) was marketed in Germany, which was also the first alpha-glucosidase inhibitor approved by the FDA in the U.S. In 1994, acarbose entered the Chinese market. Acarbose has been widely accepted by physicians and patients in China and Japan and other Eastern countries, and has become one of the most commonly used oral hypoglycemic agents in clinical practice. Acarbose with a clear mission In the original diagnostic criteria of diabetes, fasting blood glucose (FPG) was the main indicator and the measure to evaluate short-term glycemic control in treatment. Because postprandial glucose monitoring was time-consuming, laborious and poorly reproducible, for a long time the American Diabetes Association (ADA) did not recommend postprandial glucose to monitor disease control, and no one realized that postprandial glucose had a different clinical significance than FPG. Since then, a dozen large prospective studies have shown that postprandial glucose is a better predictor of cardiovascular risk than FPG, and its importance has been recognized by the global diabetes community. During this time, the drug acarbose was introduced specifically for postprandial glucose, and it was its introduction that led to the recognition of the importance of postprandial glucose. Acarbose is straightforward in nature The pharmacological action of acarbose is simple and easy to understand. It inhibits the alpha glucosidase enzyme in the small intestine, inhibits the polysaccharide breakdown of food and slows down the absorption of sugar accordingly, thus reducing postprandial hyperglycemia and treating diabetes with diet. It can be combined with other oral drugs in NIDDM (non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) and with insulin in patients with IDDM (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) for effective control of diabetes. Acarbose, the Love Messenger In 2007, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) issued the “Guidelines for the Management of Postprandial Glucose”, pointing out that postprandial glucose is a risk factor for complications, especially cardiovascular complications. One study showed that acarbose reduced the relative risk of hypertension by 34% and the absolute incidence of hypertension by 5.3%, the risk of myocardial infarction by 91%, and the relative risk of any cardiovascular event by 49% and the absolute incidence by 2.5% in people with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). In addition to the IGT population, acarbose also significantly reduced the incidence of any cardiovascular event by 35% in patients with type 2 diabetes, with the most significant reduction of 64% in the incidence of myocardial infarction. In addition, metabolic indicators such as glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), FPG, postprandial glucose, systolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and triglycerides (TG) all showed significant improvements in the acarbose group. It can be said that acarbose is really a “love” messenger. Acarbose understands Oriental people better The diet structure of Oriental people, especially Chinese people, is based on carbohydrates, and a high-carbohydrate diet has a greater impact on postprandial blood sugar. Epidemiological studies show that more than 80% of patients with abnormal glucose metabolism in China have postprandial hyperglycemia. The mechanism of action of acarbose is to lower postprandial blood glucose by delaying the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestine, so it can make the blood glucose level more stable in Chinese diabetic patients whose diet is mainly based on carbohydrates, i.e. rice and noodles, etc. It is not applicable to the Western-type diet, i.e. people who eat mainly meat, eggs and other high-protein and high-fat foods. Acarbose tips you need to know 1. Because of the breakdown and absorption of sugar in the small intestine, the residence time in the intestine is prolonged, and the fermentation of intestinal bacteria produces more gas, which can cause abdominal distension, abdominal pain, diarrhea, etc. Therefore, it should be taken from a small dose to reduce gastrointestinal discomfort symptoms. 2, must be taken when eating, otherwise it has no effect. 3. Avoid use by adolescents under 18 years old, children, and pregnant and lactating women. 4.This product has anti-hyperglycemic effect, but it does not cause hypoglycemia by itself. If this product is used together with sulfonylureas, metformin or insulin, blood sugar will drop to the level of hypoglycemia, so the dose of sulfonylureas, metformin or insulin should be reduced. Hypoglycemic coma occurs in individual cases. 5.In individual cases, acarbose can affect the bioavailability of digoxin, so the dose of digoxin should be adjusted. 6. Simultaneous administration with antacids or digestive enzyme preparations should be avoided.