Acarbose — $0 on Listed Strengths

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About Acarbose

Acarbose is a medication commonly prescribed to help manage type 2 diabetes by controlling blood sugar levels, particularly after meals. If you've been prescribed acarbose, understanding how it works and how to access it affordably is key. TheDrugClub makes managing your diabetes easier and more cost-effective, offering significant savings on essential medications like acarbose.

What Acarbose Treats

Acarbose is primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes. It's often prescribed when diet and exercise alone aren't enough to control blood sugar, or in combination with other diabetes medications. Its main role is to target the rise in blood glucose that occurs shortly after eating, helping to prevent those post-meal spikes that can contribute to long-term diabetes complications.

How Acarbose Works

Unlike some diabetes medications that act on insulin production or sensitivity, acarbose works directly in your digestive system. It belongs to a class of drugs called alpha-glucosidase inhibitors. These inhibitors block enzymes in the small intestine that are responsible for breaking down complex carbohydrates (like starches) into simpler sugars that can be absorbed into the bloodstream. By slowing down this process, acarbose delays the absorption of glucose, leading to a more gradual and lower rise in blood sugar after meals. This mechanism makes it particularly effective for individuals who experience significant post-meal hyperglycemia. It'

The information above is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult your healthcare provider before making medication decisions.

What Acarbose is approved for (FDA label)

Acarbose Tablets are indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Source: Read the full FDA label on DailyMed. Label effective date: August 11, 2026.

Excerpt from the FDA-approved prescribing information. This is not medical advice; talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Adverse reactions for Acarbose (FDA label)

Digestive Tract Gastrointestinal symptoms are the most common reactions to Acarbose Tablets. In U.S. placebo-controlled trials, the incidences of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and flatulence were 19%, 31%, and 74% respectively in 1255 patients treated with Acarbose Tablets 50-300 mg t.i.d., whereas the corresponding incidences were 9%, 12%, and 29% in 999 placebo-treated patients. In a one-year safety study, during which patients kept diaries of gastrointestinal symptoms, abdominal pain and diarrhea tended to return to pretreatment levels over time, and the frequency and intensity of flatulence tended to abate with time.

Source: FDA prescribing information (DailyMed). Set ID: 1ba7a072-03b0-41f2-be7a-101145bdef3a. SPL document ID: 539553ec-baa9-4e89-ae74-81515af2c7b8. Label effective date: August 11, 2026. Read the full label.

Excerpt from the FDA-approved prescribing information. This is not medical advice; talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Contraindications for Acarbose (FDA label)

Acarbose Tablets are contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to the drug. Acarbose Tablets are contraindicated in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis or cirrhosis. Acarbose Tablets are also contraindicated in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, colonic ulceration, partial intestinal obstruction or in patients predisposed to intestinal obstruction. In addition, Acarbose Tablets are contraindicated in patients who have chronic intestinal diseases associated with marked disorders of digestion or absorption and in patients who have conditions that may deteriorate as a result of increased gas formation in the intestine.

Source: FDA prescribing information (DailyMed). Set ID: 1ba7a072-03b0-41f2-be7a-101145bdef3a. SPL document ID: 539553ec-baa9-4e89-ae74-81515af2c7b8. Label effective date: August 11, 2026. Read the full label.

Excerpt from the FDA-approved prescribing information. This is not medical advice; talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Drug interactions for Acarbose (FDA label)

Certain drugs tend to produce hyperglycemia and may lead to loss of blood glucose control. These drugs include the thiazides and other diuretics, corticosteroids, phenothiazines, thyroid products, estrogens, oral contraceptives, phenytoin, nicolinic acid, sympathomimetics, calcium channel-blocking drugs, and isoniazid. When such drugs are administered to a patient receiving Acarbose Tablets, the patient should be closely observed for loss of blood glucose control. When such drugs are withdrawn from patients receiving Acarbose Tablets in combination with sulfonylureas or insulin, patients should be observed closely for any evidence of hypoglycemia. Patients Receiving Sulfonylureas or Insulin: Sulfonylurea agents or insulin may cause hypoglycemia. Acarbose Tablets given in combination with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause a further lowering of blood glucose and may increase the potential for hypoglycemia. If hypoglycemia occurs, appropriate adjustments in the dosage of these agents should be made.

Source: FDA prescribing information (DailyMed). Set ID: 1ba7a072-03b0-41f2-be7a-101145bdef3a. SPL document ID: 539553ec-baa9-4e89-ae74-81515af2c7b8. Label effective date: August 11, 2026. Read the full label.

Excerpt from the FDA-approved prescribing information. This is not medical advice; talk to your doctor or pharmacist.