Can α-Glucosidase Inhibitors Reduce the Dosage of Sulphonylurea Compounds Needed by Patients with Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus?

The effects of treatment with an α-glucosidase inhibitor and a reduced dose of sulphonylurea were investigated in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus who had previously been treated with sulphonylurea compounds but who were hypoglycaemic at times. Treatment with a daily dose of 0.6 mg α-glucosidase inhibitor and a reduced dose of the previously used sulphonylurea compound for 4 weeks did not significantly affect the glycosylated haemoglobin level. The post-prandial blood-glucose concentration of the patients was unchanged after treatment compared with its value immediately before treatment but differed significantly compared with the value 4 weeks before treatment (P < 0.03); it was considered likely that this change was due to a seasonal increase in calorie intake at the end of the treatment period. Symptoms related to hypoglycaemia disappeared in all of the treated patients.