Safety and efficacy of acarbose in the treatment of diabetes in Chinese patients

Researchers combined results from clinical studies of Chinese people with diabetes who took acarbose. Acarbose is a medicine that slows the digestion of starchy foods, reducing blood-sugar rises after meals. It generally lowered long-term blood sugar, measured by HbA1c, a test showing the average blood-sugar level over about three months. Stomach and bowel problems, such as gas and diarrhea, were common, while dangerously low blood sugar was less common unless acarbose was combined with other medicines.

What this means for you: This supports acarbose as a reasonable diabetes medicine when prescribed, especially for after-meal blood sugar. It does not show that acarbose extends lifespan or benefits healthy people, and stomach side effects may matter.