acarbose vs dapagliflozin
Side-by-side comparison of acarbose and dapagliflozin Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Precose
Farxiga
Acarbose is a medicine that helps lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. It works best when used with diet and exercise.
Dapagliflozin (Farxiga) helps lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. It also helps adults with heart failure or chronic kidney disease.
Acarbose is used to help control blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. You should use it along with a healthy diet and regular exercise. This medicine helps to keep your blood sugar from getting too high after you eat.
This medicine can help adults with chronic kidney disease by reducing the risk of kidney problems, heart problems, and needing to go to the hospital for heart failure. It can also help adults with heart failure by reducing the risk of heart problems and needing urgent care for heart failure. For adults with type 2 diabetes, it can help lower the risk of needing to go to the hospital for heart failure.
Acarbose slows down the digestion of carbohydrates (sugars and starches) in your body. It does this by blocking certain enzymes in your small intestine that break down carbs. This helps to prevent a sharp rise in blood sugar after meals.
Dapagliflozin is a type of medicine called an SGLT2 inhibitor. It works in the kidneys to remove extra sugar from your body through your urine. This helps to lower your blood sugar levels.
- • Gas
- • Diarrhea
- • Abdominal pain
- • Yeast infections of the vagina
- • Common cold
- • Urinary tract infections
- Low blood sugar 269
- Feeling sick to your stomach 203
- High blood sugar 200
- Feeling lightheaded 160
- Loose, watery stools 147
- Death 7,017
- Tiredness 2,250
- Feeling sick to your stomach 2,218
- Feeling lightheaded 2,096
- Loose stools 2,074
You should not take acarbose if you have diabetic ketoacidosis or cirrhosis. Also, do not take it if you have inflammatory bowel disease, colon ulcers, or any bowel obstruction. This medicine can cause liver problems in some people. Tell your doctor right away if you develop symptoms like yellowing of the skin or eyes.
Dapagliflozin can cause a serious condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), especially if you have type 1 diabetes. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and trouble breathing. If you have these symptoms, stop taking this medicine and get medical help right away. This medicine can also cause serious infections in the area between your genitals and anus. Get medical help right away if you have pain, tenderness, redness, or swelling in this area, along with a fever or feeling unwell.
Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if acarbose will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if acarbose passes into breast milk.
This medicine may harm your unborn baby, especially during the second and third trimesters. It is not recommended while breastfeeding.
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How to Read This acarbose vs dapagliflozin Comparison
acarbose is classified in the Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitor drug class, while dapagliflozin sits within the SGLT2 Inhibitor class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, acarbose has 979 submissions while dapagliflozin has 15,655. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between acarbose and dapagliflozin — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.