acarbose vs insulin glargine
Side-by-side comparison of acarbose and insulin glargine Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Precose
Lantus, Basaglar, Toujeo
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.
Basaglar is a long-acting insulin that helps control blood sugar levels. It is used to treat type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
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.
Basaglar is used to lower blood sugar in adults and children with type 1 diabetes. It also helps adults with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar. However, Basaglar is not for treating diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious condition with high levels of ketones in the blood.
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.
Basaglar is a long-acting form of insulin. It works by replacing the insulin that your body does not make, or helping your body use insulin better. This helps to lower your blood sugar levels over a longer period.
- • Gas
- • Diarrhea
- • Abdominal pain
- • Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- • Allergic reactions
- • Injection site reactions (redness, swelling, itching)
- • Skin thickening or pits at the injection site
- • Itching
- Low blood sugar 269
- Feeling sick to your stomach 203
- High blood sugar 200
- Feeling lightheaded 160
- Loose, watery stools 147
- Increased blood sugar 38,213
- Using the medicine for something it's not approved for 11,495
- Decreased blood sugar 10,314
- The medicine is not working 10,279
- Taking the medicine at the wrong time 9,798
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.
Never share your Basaglar pen with anyone else, even if you change the needle. Sharing pens can spread blood-borne diseases. Changes to your insulin plan can affect your blood sugar. Make sure a doctor supervises any changes and that you check your blood sugar often. Low blood sugar can be very dangerous and even life-threatening. Watch for symptoms and check your blood sugar often. Low potassium can also be life-threatening. Tell your doctor if you have heart problems or take certain diabetes medicines called thiazolidinediones, as this can lead to heart failure.
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.
Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Poorly controlled diabetes during pregnancy can harm both the mother and the baby. Basaglar's effects during pregnancy are not well-studied.
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How to Read This acarbose vs insulin glargine Comparison
acarbose is classified in the Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitor drug class, while insulin glargine sits within the Long-Acting Insulin 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 insulin glargine has 80,099. 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 insulin glargine — 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.