REDUCES 2 HR. POSTPRANDIAL GLUCOSE LEVEL BY 98.9 MG/ DL, LOWER HBA1C BY 0.5 - 1% & HELP REDUCE CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS BY 35%. IN CONTRAST TO SULFONYLUREAS, ACARBOSE DOES NOT ENHANCE INSULIN SECRETION. THE ANTIHYPERGLYCEMIC ACTION OF ACARBOSE RESULTS FROM A
COMPETITIVE, REVERSIBLE INHIBITION OF PANCREATIC ALPHA-AMYLASE AND MEMBRANE-BOUND INTESTINAL ALPHA-GLUCOSIDE HYDROLASE ENZYMES. PANCREATIC ALPHA-AMYLASE HYDROLYZES COMPLEX STARCHES TO OLIGOSACCHARIDES IN THE LUMEN OF THE SMALL INTESTINE, WHILE THE MEMBRANE-BOUND INTESTINAL ALPHA-GLUCOSIDASES HYDROLYZE OLIGOSACCHARIDES, TRISACCHARIDES, AND DISACCHARIDES TO GLUCOSE AND OTHER
MONOSACCHARIDES IN THE BRUSH BORDER OF THE SMALL INTESTINE. IN DIABETIC PATIENTS, THIS ENZYME INHIBITION RESULTS IN A DELAYED GLUCOSE ABSORPTION AND A LOWERING OF POSTPRANDIAL HYPERGLYCEMIA. DURATION OF ACTION IS 4 HRS
BECAUSE ITS MECHANISM OF ACTION IS DIFFERENT, THE EFFECT OF ACARBOSE TO ENHANCE GLYCEMIC CONTROL IS ADDITIVE TO THAT OF SULFONYLUREAS WHEN USED IN COMBINATION. IN ADDITION,ACARBOSE DIMINISHES THE INSULINOTROPIC AND WEIGHT-INCREASING EFFECTS OF SULFONYLUREAS.