Effects of the α-glucosidase inhibitor acarbose on the development of long-term complications in diabetic animals: pathophysiological and therapeutic implications

✍ Scribed by Werner Creutzfeldt

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 109 KB
• Volume: 15
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1520-7552
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1520-7560(199907/08)15:4<289::aid-dmrr48>3.0.co;2-v

✦ Synopsis

Short-term studies with acarbose have demonstrated its ef®cacy in reducing postprandial blood glucose levels and glycated haemoglobin (HbA 1c ) levels. These effects would be expected to translate into improvements in long-term complications of diabetes, but such data are not yet available due to the long follow-up times required. Animal models of diabetes have, however, demonstrated the ef®cacy of acarbose in combating the long-term complications of the disease. The 18 animal studies reviewed here showed that acarbose treatment reduced postprandial blood glucose concentrations and decreased protein glycation. Through these actions, acarbose delayed or prevented the onset of renal, retinal, lens and neurological changes and the development of ischaemic myocardial lesions. Acarbose treatment can therefore be expected to bene®t patients with Type 2 and, in combination with insulin, Type 1 diabetes. This is being investigated in ongoing clinical studies in patients with Type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).