Efficacy of acarbose as monotherapy in NIDDM patients.

The efficacy and safety of acarbose (100 mg three times a day for 12 weeks) was investigated in an open study in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus who could not achieve satisfactory glycaemic control by diet alone. Acarbose significantly decreased fasting plasma glucose from 165.9 +/- 16.0 mg/dl to 159.5 +/- 16.9 mg/dl (P value < 0.01). The reduction of postprandial plasma glucose was 11.2 per cent and 9.8 per cent for 1 hour and 2 hours respectively. HbAic also significantly decreased from the baseline. The most common side effects were mild to moderate flatulence and abdominal distension. There were no significant changes in body weight, lipid profile and other biochemical parameters. These results indicate that treatment with acarbose is safe and effective in adjunct to dietary therapy for the treatment of NIDDM.