Prescription medication · Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitor
acarbose
Also sold as Precose. Acarbose is used to help control blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 3,736
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- 2
- InteractionsFew interactions
- $0.20
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
acarbose (Precose) is a prescription Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitor, among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (3,736 FDA reports), with 2 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
acarbose (Precose) is a prescription Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitor. Acarbose is used to help control blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
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.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.20/unit
Generic Available
Yes (3 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Acarbose is used to help control blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Common side effects
Gas, Diarrhea, Abdominal pain
Key warnings
You should not take acarbose if you have diabetic ketoacidosis or cirrhosis.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from acarbose's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
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.
How to Take It
Take acarbose three times a day with the first bite of each main meal. Start with a low dose, like 25 mg, and increase it slowly. Your doctor will adjust your dose every 4-8 weeks based on your blood sugar levels and how well you tolerate the medicine. Do not take more than 100 mg three times a day unless your doctor tells you to.
This is a plain-language summary of acarbose's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
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 is a plain-language summary of acarbose's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it with your next meal. If it is almost time for your next meal, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
This is a plain-language summary of acarbose's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store acarbose tablets at room temperature (68° to 77°F) and protect them from moisture. Keep the bottle tightly closed.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 3,736 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for acarbose, by number of reports
- Low blood sugar
Low blood sugar
269 reports
- Feeling sick to your stomach
Feeling sick to your stomach
203 reports
- High blood sugar
High blood sugar
200 reports
- Feeling lightheaded
Feeling lightheaded
160 reports
- Loose, watery stools
Loose, watery stools
147 reports
- Medicine interfering with another medicine
Medicine interfering with another medicine
142 reports
- Throwing up
Throwing up
142 reports
- Sudden kidney damage
Sudden kidney damage
139 reports
- Falling down
Falling down
125 reports
- Weakness
Weakness
112 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for acarbose each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where acarbose sits
acarbose has more FDA adverse-event reports than 21% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is acarbose; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 3,736 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
3,736
Reports Mentioning Death
310
8.3% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
2,037
Top Indication
Diabetes Mellitus
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HYPOGLYCAEMIA | 269 |
| 2 | NAUSEA | 203 |
| 3 | BLOOD GLUCOSE INCREASED | 200 |
| 4 | DIZZINESS | 160 |
| 5 | DIARRHOEA | 147 |
| 6 | DRUG INTERACTION | 142 |
| 7 | VOMITING | 142 |
| 8 | ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 139 |
| 11 | FALL | 125 |
| 12 | ASTHENIA | 112 |
| 13 | LACTIC ACIDOSIS | 107 |
| 14 | DYSPNOEA | 103 |
| 15 | DIABETES MELLITUS INADEQUATE CONTROL | 99 |
| 16 | PNEUMONIA | 99 |
| 17 | WEIGHT DECREASED | 94 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
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.
Known Drug Interactions
These drugs include the thiazides and other diuretics, corticosteroids, phenothiazines, thyroid products, estrogens, oral contraceptives, phenytoin, nicotinic acid, sympathomimetics, calcium channel-blocking drugs, and isoniazid.
Mechanism: Phenytoin can make it harder to control your blood sugar, which may affect how well acarbose works.
What to do: Your doctor should check your blood sugar levels more often and may need to adjust your medicine.
Digoxin concentrations decreased Acarbose, activated charcoal, albuterol, antacids, certain cancer chemotherapy or radiation therapy, cholestyramine, colestipol, extenatide, kaolin-pectin, meals high in bran, metoclopramide, miglitol, neomycin, penicillamine, phenytoin, rifampin, St.
Mechanism: Acarbose can lower the amount of digoxin that gets into your blood by interfering with its absorption.
What to do: Your doctor may need to check your blood levels and adjust your digoxin dose.
This is a plain-language summary of interactions documented in FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before combining medications.
Common Questions
What should I do if I experience severe gas or diarrhea?
Can I take acarbose with other diabetes medications?
Will acarbose cause low blood sugar?
What happens if my blood sugar is low?
Are there foods I should avoid while taking acarbose?
How long does it take for acarbose to start working?
Can acarbose cause weight gain?
What if I forget to take Acarbose with a meal?
Does Acarbose interact with other medications?
How will I know if the medicine is working?
What are the common side effects of acarbose?
Does acarbose interact with other medications?
What drug class is acarbose?
Is acarbose safe during pregnancy?
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What the FDA Data Shows for acarbose
The FDA label for acarbose (sold under brand names such as Precose) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitor class. Acarbose is used to help control blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. Official labeling lists 3 commonly reported side effects, including Gas, Diarrhea, Abdominal pain.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 3,736 voluntary reports. The database also lists 2 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.20.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: August 12, 2024
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages