Glucobay 50 mg Tablet

Glucobay 50 mg Tablet contains 50 mg of acarbose in each tablet. It is an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor used to help control blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes, along with diet and exercise. This medicine works best for mealtime blood sugar control and is not used to treat type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. Glucobay 50 mg Tablet is taken by mouth as a tablet and is prescribed when a doctor wants a stronger acarbose tablet than the 25 mg strength.

How it works: Acarbose blocks enzymes in the intestine that break down starches and table sugar into glucose. By slowing this process after meals, Glucobay 50 mg Tablet helps reduce sharp rises in blood sugar after eating.

Glucobay 50 mg Tablet is the higher-strength tablet in the Glucobay line sold here, compared with Glucobay 25 mg Tablet. Doctors may choose Glucobay 50 mg Tablet for people who need more blood sugar lowering after starting lower-dose acarbose or who are ready to step up treatment based on their response and stomach tolerance. Because acarbose acts in the gut and commonly causes stomach side effects, this stronger tablet may be introduced gradually rather than all at once.

• Helps lower post-meal blood sugar in type 2 diabetes
• Used with diet and exercise
• May be combined with other diabetes medicines
• Supports overall blood sugar control when taken with meals

• Swallow Glucobay 50 mg Tablet with the first bite of each main meal, or take it during the meal as directed.
• Take the tablet whole with water; do not chew or crush it unless your prescriber tells you otherwise.
• Only take it with meals that contain carbohydrates, since it works on food sugars in the gut.
• If you skip a meal, skip that dose of Glucobay 50 mg Tablet.
• If you get low blood sugar while taking acarbose with other diabetes medicines, use glucose (dextrose) rather than table sugar for a quick fix.
• Follow your doctor’s titration plan closely, because stomach side effects can be more common as the dose increases.

Each Glucobay 50 mg Tablet provides 50 mg of acarbose. The exact schedule depends on your blood sugar response and how well you tolerate it; it may be taken once daily at first and then increased to 50 mg with meals, with some patients taking it three times a day. The maximum daily amount is determined by the prescriber and should not be increased on your own.

Do not change your dose or stop the medicine without speaking to your doctor.

Common side effects of Acarbose may include:

• Gas or flatulence, which is common with acarbose and may be more noticeable at 50 mg
• Loose stools or diarrhea
• Abdominal pain or bloating
• Stomach discomfort or fullness
• Nausea

• Do not use Glucobay 50 mg Tablet if you have certain bowel disease, intestinal blockage, or digestive disorders that affect absorption unless your doctor specifically says it is appropriate.
• If you have liver disease, your prescriber may monitor you more closely because acarbose can affect liver enzymes.
• This 50 mg tablet may cause more stomach gas and diarrhea than the 25 mg strength, especially when the dose is increased too quickly.
• If you develop low blood sugar while taking it with insulin or another diabetes medicine, treat it with glucose tablets or gel, not table sugar.
• Tell your doctor about kidney problems, since advanced kidney disease can change whether acarbose is appropriate for you.
• Use caution with alcohol because it can worsen glucose control and stomach upset.
• Be careful when driving or using machinery if you feel weak, dizzy, or low from blood sugar changes.

• Other diabetes medicines such as insulin or sulfonylureas, which can increase the risk of low blood sugar
• Digestive enzyme products, which may reduce how well acarbose works
• Activated charcoal or digestive adsorbents, which can lower the effect of acarbose
• Intestinal enzymes or products containing sucrose, since acarbose can delay sugar breakdown and affect treatment of low blood sugar

Store Glucobay 50 mg Tablet in its original strip/box at room temperature, away from moisture and out of reach of children.