Metformin

Metformin, marketed under the trade name Glucophage among others, is the first-line medication for the treatment of type 2 diabetes particularly in people who are overweight.

Metformin is used together with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

What is it?

Glucophage is an oral medication that lowers blood glucose (sugar) by influencing the body’s sensitivity to insulin and is used for treating type 2 diabetes. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that controls glucose levels in blood by reducing the amount of glucose made by the liver and by increasing the removal of glucose from the blood by muscle and fat tissues. As a result, insulin causes blood glucose levels fall. Diabetes caused by a decrease in production of insulin that causes increased production of glucose by the liver, and reduced uptake (and effects) of insulin on fat and muscle tissues.

Does it treat type 1 diabetes?

Glucophage is sometimes used together with insulin or other medications, but metformin is not for treating type 1 diabetes.

Metformin acts by increasing the sensitivity of liver, muscle, fat, and other tissues to the uptake and effects of insulin. These actions lower the level of sugar in the blood.

Uses for Metformin?

• Metformin is used for treating type 2 diabetes in adults and children. It may be used alone or in combination with other diabetic medications.
• Metformin also has been used to prevent the development of diabetes in people who are at risk.
• Treatment of polycystic ovaries
• Weight gain due to medications used for treating psychoses.

Diet and exercise programs

Metformin is used with a proper diet and exercise program and possibly with other medications to control high blood sugar. It is used in patients with type 2 diabetes. Controlling high blood sugar helps prevent kidney damage, blindness, nerve problems, loss of limbs, and sexual function problems. Proper control of diabetes may also lessen your risk of a heart attack or stroke. Metformin works by helping to restore your body’s proper response to the insulin you naturally produce. It also decreases the amount of sugar that your liver makes and that your stomach/intestines absorb.

 

Side Effects

Metformin oral tablet can cause mild or serious side effects. The following list contains some of the key side effects that may occur while taking metformin. This list does not include all possible side effects.

For more information on the possible side effects of metformin or tips on how to deal with a troubling side effect, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

More common side effects

The more common side effects that can occur with metformin include:

• stomach problems:
• diarrhea
• nausea
• stomach pain
• heartburn
• gas

If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Hyperglycemia

Symptoms of high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) include thirst, increased urination, confusion, drowsiness, flushing, rapid breathing, and fruity breath odor. If these symptoms occur, tell your doctor right away. Your doctor may need to adjust your diabetes medication(s).

 

Dosage for metformin?

For treating type 2 diabetes in adults, metformin (immediate release) usually is begun at a dose of 500 mg twice a day or 850 mg once daily. The dose is gradually increased by 500 mg weekly or 850 mg every two weeks as tolerated and based on the response of the levels of glucose in the blood. The maximum daily dose is 2550 mg given in three divided doses.

For pediatric patients 10-16 years of age, the starting dose is 500 mg twice a day. The dose can be increased by 500 mg weekly up to a maximum dose of 2000 mg in divided doses.

Children older than 17 years of age may receive 500 mg of extended release tablets daily up to a maximum dose of 2000 mg daily. Extended release tablets are not approved for children younger than 17 years of age.