What is the drug metformin hydrochloride used for?
Metformin is used to treat high blood sugar levels that are caused by a type of diabetes mellitus or sugar diabetes called type 2 diabetes. With this type of diabetes, insulin produced by the pancreas is not able to get sugar into the cells of the body where it can work properly.
What type of drug is metformin hydrochloride?
Metformin is a biguanide antihyperglycemic agent and first-line pharmacotherapy used in the management of type II diabetes. Metformin is considered an antihyperglycemic drug because it lowers blood glucose concentrations in type II diabetes without causing hypoglycemia.
Which drug is biguanides?
Biguanides. Biguanides (mainly Metformin) are widely prescribed antihyperglycemic agents that suppress hepatic glucose production, increase peripheral glucose uptake, and moderately reduce LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
What are biguanides used for?
Antidiabetic biguanides are a class of drugs used with a proper diet and exercise to control high blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). T2DM is a long-term medical condition in which the body does not use insulin normally and, therefore, cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood.
What are the 10 side effects of metformin?
Side effects of metformin
- Feeling sick (nausea) Take metformin with food to reduce the chances of feeling sick.
- Being sick (vomiting) Take small, frequent sips of water or squash to avoid dehydration.
- Diarrhoea.
- Stomach ache.
- Loss of appetite.
- A metallic taste in the mouth.
Can metformin damage liver and kidneys?
Metformin doesn’t cause kidney damage. The kidneys process and clear the medication out of your system through your urine. If your kidneys don’t function properly, there’s concern that metformin can build up in your system and cause a condition called lactic acidosis.
Is metformin a safe drug?
Metformin is generally a safe and effective treatment for type 2 diabetes. However, it can cause side effects, and some people may want to look at other options. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body’s cells stop responding to insulin appropriately. As a result, levels of glucose, or sugar, in the blood rise too high.
Can metformin affect kidneys?
What is metformin and side effects?
Nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, diarrhea, weakness, or a metallic taste in the mouth may occur. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. If stomach symptoms return later (after taking the same dose for several days or weeks), tell your doctor right away.
Is metformin insulin?
Metformin lowers your blood sugar levels by improving the way your body handles insulin. It’s usually prescribed for diabetes when diet and exercise alone have not been enough to control your blood sugar levels.
What is the benefit of taking metformin at night?
The administration of metformin, as glucophage retard, at bedtime instead of supper time may improve diabetes control by reducing morning hyperglycemia.
What is the most serious side effect of metformin?
Although very rare, metformin’s most serious side effect is lactic acidosis. In fact, metformin has a “boxed” — also referred to as a “black box” — warning about this risk. A boxed warning is the most severe warning that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issues.
What organs does metformin affect?
The kidneys process and clear the medication out of your system through your urine. If your kidneys don’t function properly, there’s concern that metformin can build up in your system and cause a condition called lactic acidosis. Lactic acidosis is when there’s a dangerous amount of lactic acid in the body.
Can metformin damage kidneys?
Does metformin damage your liver?
Conclusion: Metformin does not appear to cause or exacerbate liver injury and, indeed, is often beneficial in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Nonalcoholic fatty liver frequently presents with transaminase elevations but should not be considered a contraindication to metformin use.
How safe is metformin?
The safety profile for metformin is quite good. Side effects include nausea, stomach upset, or diarrhea; these tend to be mild. More serious side effects are rare. They include severe allergic reactions and a condition called lactic acidosis, a buildup of lactic acid in the bloodstream.
What should I avoid while taking metformin?
So can foods high in sugar. As much as possible, avoid white bread, white rice, white pasta, candy, soda, desserts, and snacks like chips or crackers. Eating foods that can spike your blood sugar will not necessarily make the metformin not work, however, it will increase the burden it has to work against.
Is metformin harmful to kidneys?
Can metformin damage your liver?
Clinically apparent liver injury from metformin is very rare, fewer than a dozen cases having been described in the literature despite widespread use of this agent for several decades. The liver injury usually appears after 1 to 8 weeks, typically with symptoms of weakness and fatigue followed by jaundice.
Does metformin cause kidney damage?