Metformin: Difference between revisions

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Gastrointestinal side effects are fairly common and do lead to discontinuation in a number of patients.  
Gastrointestinal side effects are fairly common and do lead to discontinuation in a number of patients.  


[[Lactic acidosis]] is the most feared complication. It can also exhibit renal toxicity; it may increase the risk of cardiovascular events, although this needs to be traded against the cardiovascular risks of uncontrolled glucose.
[[Lactic acidosis]] is possibly increased.<ref name="pmid20091535">{{cite journal| author=Salpeter SR, Greyber E, Pasternak GA, Salpeter Posthumous EE| title=Risk of fatal and nonfatal lactic acidosis with metformin use in type 2 diabetes mellitus. | journal=Cochrane Database Syst Rev | year= 2010 | volume=  | issue= 1 | pages= CD002967 | pmid=20091535
| url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&tool=clinical.uthscsa.edu/cite&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=20091535 | doi=10.1002/14651858.CD002967.pub3 }} </ref>
 
Metformin can also exhibit renal toxicity; it may increase the risk of cardiovascular events, although this needs to be traded against the cardiovascular risks of uncontrolled glucose.


Metformin may cause [[vitamin B 12 deficiency]].<ref name="pmid19846797">{{cite journal| author=Wile DJ, Toth C| title=Association of metformin, elevated homocysteine, and methylmalonic acid levels and clinically worsened diabetic peripheral neuropathy. | journal=Diabetes Care | year= 2010 | volume= 33 | issue= 1 | pages= 156-61 | pmid=19846797  
Metformin may cause [[vitamin B 12 deficiency]].<ref name="pmid19846797">{{cite journal| author=Wile DJ, Toth C| title=Association of metformin, elevated homocysteine, and methylmalonic acid levels and clinically worsened diabetic peripheral neuropathy. | journal=Diabetes Care | year= 2010 | volume= 33 | issue= 1 | pages= 156-61 | pmid=19846797  
| url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&tool=clinical.uthscsa.edu/cite&email=badgett@uthscdsa.edu&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=19846797 | doi=10.2337/dc09-0606 | pmc=PMC2797962 }} <!--Formatted by http://sumsearch.uthscsa.edu/cite/--></ref>
| url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&tool=clinical.uthscsa.edu/cite&email=badgett@uthscdsa.edu&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=19846797 | doi=10.2337/dc09-0606 | pmc=PMC2797962 }} <!--Formatted by http://sumsearch.uthscsa.edu/cite/--></ref>


==References==
==References==
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Revision as of 08:51, 18 March 2010

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Metformin is an oral drug used in the treatment of diabetes. Chemically, it is of the biguanide class. Clinically, it has the rare property, among diabetes treatments, of not causing weight gain or even inducing weight loss.

It is approved as monotherapy as an adjunct to diet and exercise, in combination with a sulfonylurea or a thiazolidinedione, and with a repaglinide or nateglinide. Metformin may also be supplemented with insulin.

Mechanism of action

While the mechanism is not known with certainty, it appears to increase peripheral and hepatic sensitivity to insulin, decreasing hepatic glucose production and increasing insulin-stimulated uptake and utilization of glucose by muscle and fat cells.

Adverse effects

Gastrointestinal side effects are fairly common and do lead to discontinuation in a number of patients.

Lactic acidosis is possibly increased.[1]

Metformin can also exhibit renal toxicity; it may increase the risk of cardiovascular events, although this needs to be traded against the cardiovascular risks of uncontrolled glucose.

Metformin may cause vitamin B 12 deficiency.[2]

References