Paper II
2014 March (2010 Scheme) · 40 marks · 120 min

Question

Alpha glucosidase inhibitors

Q33 marksShort Notes

Answer

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors are oral antidiabetic drugs.

Examples

  • Acarbose, Miglitol

Mechanism of action

  • Competitively inhibit intestinal brush-border alpha-glucosidase enzymes, which are needed to break down complex carbohydrates/oligosaccharides into absorbable monosaccharides
  • Delays carbohydrate digestion and glucose absorption, blunting the postprandial rise in blood glucose

Uses

  • Type 2 diabetes mellitus, particularly for controlling postprandial hyperglycaemia (used as monotherapy or combined with other antidiabetics)

Adverse effects

  • Flatulence, abdominal bloating, diarrhoea (due to undigested carbohydrate fermentation by colonic bacteria)
  • Do not cause hypoglycaemia when used alone (since they don’t increase insulin secretion)

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