EFFECT OF AN ALPHA-GLUCOSIDASE INHIBITOR COMBINED WITH SULFONYLUREA TREATMENT ON GLUCOSE-METABOLISM IN PATIENTS WITH NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

Ten patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus who were bei ng treated with a sulphonylureal compound but whose glucose metabolism needed further improvement were given a combination of their usual su lphonylurea treatment and an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor. Treatment wi th the a-glucosidase inhibitor (0.6 mg/day), in addition to glibenclam ide (7.5 mg/day in two patients; 5.0 mg/day in four; 2.5 mg/day in one ) or tolbutamide (500 mg/day in three patients) for 4 weeks, improved hyperglycaemia after meals from 237 - 247 mg/dl to 192 mg/dl, and redu ced glycosylated haemoglobin levels from 8.5 - 8.6% to 7.9% without ca using hypoglycaemia.