Glucobay

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Generic Name: Acarbose
Product Name: Glucobay

Indication of Glucobay
Action of Glucobay
Dose advice of Glucobay
Schedule of Glucobay
Common side effects of Glucobay
Uncommon side effects of Glucobay

Indication of Glucobay:

Glucobay is a medicine used in the treatment of patients with noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). It is used in addition to diet and exercise in patients whose diabetes in not controlled by diet alone, or by diet and oral hypoglycaemic agents.

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Action of Glucobay:

Glucobay works by inhibiting the action of a chemical in the intestines that is responsible for breaking down sugars into molecules small enough for absorption into the body. Therefore, it slows digestion and absorption of sugars and starches from the gut into the bloodstream. As a result, the normal rise in blood sugar levels that occurs after a meal is reduced, and normal daily fluctuations in blood sugar levels are smoothed out. This therefore helps to control blood sugar levels in patients who are having trouble managing their diabetes.

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Dose advice of Glucobay:

Dosage is individual, according to the patient?s tolerability and the activity of the drug.

Acarbose tablets should be chewed with the first mouthfuls of a meal, or swallowed whole with liquid directly before a meal.

Acarbose should be initiated at a low dose and slowly increased to minimise the gastrointestinal side effects. Therapy is usually started at 50mg once daily for the first week, then increased to 50mg twice daily for the second week, and to 50mg three times daily for the third week. Dosage may be further increased after this according to the blood glucose levels. The normal adult dose is 100mg three times daily, although this can be increased to a maximum of 200mg three times daily.

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