AUGMENTING GLIMEPIRIDE THERAPY WITH VOGLIBOSE OR ACARBOSE: IMPLICATIONS FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES MANAGEMENT

Main Article Content

Masuram Bharath Kumar
Shalini Chandra
KV Thimmaraju

Keywords

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Voglibose, Acarbose, Postprandial Blood Sugar, Medication Adherence

Abstract

Background: Managing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) often necessitates a multi-drug approach for adequate glycemic control. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and tolerability of voglibose and acarbose as adjunctive therapies to glimepiride in T2DM patients.


 Methods: A prospective, open-label, non-randomized, parallel-group study was conducted over six months, involving 64 adult T2DM patients already on a stable dose of glimepiride. Patients were divided into two groups: Group I received voglibose, and Group II received acarbose as an add-on therapy. Primary outcome measures included changes in Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), and Postprandial Blood Sugar (PPBS). Medication adherence was evaluated using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale.


 Results: Both groups significantly reduced HbA1c, FBS, and PPBS. The voglibose group exhibited a more pronounced reduction in HbA1c levels at six months, with a p-value of 0.00001. There was no significant difference between the two groups in FBS, PPBS, or medication adherence.


 Conclusion: Both voglibose and acarbose were effective add-on therapies to glimepiride in improving glycemic control in T2DM patients. However, voglibose showed a slight edge in reducing HbA1c levels. These findings can serve as a basis for future large-scale, randomized studies to validate the comparative efficacy of these two medications

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