Acarbose plus diet causes more weight loss in diabetics than metformin plus diet: 7.7 lbs vs 2.2 lbs

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Monday, February 14, 2005 11:07 am Email this article
Precose (acarbose) caused more weight loss than Glucophage (metformin) in type 2 diabetics according to a recent study. Weight loss: 7.7 lbs with acarbose vs 2.2 lbs with metformin vs 3.1 lbs with placebo

Patients given Precose (acarbose) in addition to a strict diet lost 7.7 pounds in three months compared to 2.2 pounds for patients given Glucophage (metformin), and 3.1 pounds for those given a placebo.

Acarbose and metformin lowered equally effective at controlling blood sugar

Precose (acarbose) and Glucophage (metformin) caused a similar drop in HbA1c (an indicator of blood sugar control), falling 2.3 percent in the Precose (acarbose) group and 2.5 percent in the Glucophage (metformin) group compared to 1.3 percent in the placebo group.

HbA1c, or hemoglobin A1c test, is a simple lab test that shows the average amount of blood sugar over the last 3 months.

Subjects: 89 type II diabetics

The study involved 89 patients who were randomly assigned as to what group they would be in.

Dose: 100 mg acarbose three times per day or 850 mg of metformin twice a day

The doses used were 100 mg of Precose (acarbose) three times per day or 850 mg of Glucophage (metformin) twice a day in addition to their sulfonylurea drug therapy.

Sulfonylurea drugs are used to lower blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics.

REFERENCE

Willms B, Ruge D. Comparison of acarbose and metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus insufficiently controlled with diet and sulphonylureas: a randomized, placebo-controlled study. Diabet Med. 1999 Sep, 16(9):755-61.

AUTHOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION

Diabetesklinik Bad Lauterberg
Germany

Articles on the same subject can be found here:

• Acarbose (Precose)

• Diabetes

• Glucophage (metformin)