Treatment: Alpha Glucosidase Inhibitors

Control of postprandial hyperglycemia is an essential component of diabetes treatment. Alpha glucosidase inhibitors are a class of oral antidiabetic drugs that primarily act on postprandial hyperglycemia. They regulate the availability of glucose for intestinal absorption by modification of carbohydrate digestion. Three alpha glucosidase inhibitors are in therapeutic use: acarbose, miglitol, and voglibose. Control of HbA1c is equipotent to other oral antidiabetics. Alpha glucosidase inhibitors exert beneficial effects on major components of the metabolic syndrome, microbiota, and cardiovascular risk factors. Acarbose has evidence-based effects of prevention of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk in patients with impaired glucose tolerance.