Acarbose and idiopathic reactive hypoglycemia.

BACKGROUND/AIM

Therapy for idiopathic reactive hypoglycemia is ineffective and impractical. Acarbose, an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, decreases the absorbed glucose load. This study was done to determine the efficacy of acarbose in this syndrome.

METHODS

Six patients with symptoms suggestive of postprandial hypoglycemia were chosen consecutively. Three-hour oral glucose tolerance tests using 75 g of glucose were done on each patient. The patients were then treated with acarbose with each meal.

RESULTS

All patients had symptomatic hypoglycemia during testing. After 4 weeks of acarbose therapy, all patients were asymptomatic on a regular diet.

CONCLUSION

Acarbose is efficacious in the management of idiopathic reactive hypoglycemia.

Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel