Klin Farmakol Farm. 2018;32(1):27-30 | DOI: 10.36290/far.2018.006

Metformin: an old substance – new indications

Eva Račická

Diabetologická a interní ambulance Ostrava

Year 2017 is the year of 60th anniversary of first clinical use of metformin for diabetes. During the era of its use metformin hasproved ability to counter insulin resistence and decrease hyperglycaemia without weight gain and increased risk of hypoglycaemia,its long-term cardiovascular benefit was identified by the UK Prospective Diabetes Study in 1998 and resulted in placementof metformin as initial therapy to manage hyperglycaemia in type 2. diabetes. In 2016 FDA and EMA changed the labelling of allmetformin-containing medication for use with mild and moderate impairment in kidney function with definition of apropriatedoses and contraindications. Metformin has been also tested in therapy of diabetes type 1. There has been given convenient dateon prevention or delay of diabetes with metformin from DPP/DPPOS study and metformin is also used in gestational diabetes.

Keywords: metformin, diabetes mellitus type 2, diabetes mellitus type 1, prevention of diabetes, gestational diabetes

Published: May 31, 2018  Show citation