Acarbose vs metformin in treating non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

AIM: To compare the efficacy of acarbose and metformin in treating non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). METHODS: Sixty patients with NIDDM were divided into two groups. Thirty patients (M15, F15; age 61 a± s 13 a) were treated with acarbose 50-100 mg po , tid×6 wk; and after 30 patients (M16, F14; age 60±12 a) with metformin 250-500 mg, po , tid×6 wk as control. RESULTS: The fasting and 2 h postprandial blood glucose were remarkably lowered after therapy by acarbose and metformin. The effective rate of acarbose were 83 % and 97 %; and the effective rate of metformin were 87 % and 73 %. Acarbose was superior to metformin (in reducing 2 h postprandial blood glucose, P 0.01). And acarbose aws worse than metformin in lowering total cholesterol (TC)( P 0.01). The rates of adverse reaction were respectively 17 % and 11 %. CONCLUSION: Acarbose is a safe and effective drug in the treatment of NIDDM.