Metformin, a medication sold under brand names like Glucophage, is a leading treatment for type 2 diabetes, especially for overweight patients. It reduces blood sugar levels in multiple ways: lowering sugar absorption in the intestines, decreasing sugar production by the liver, and improving the body's response to insulin.
Uses
- Management of excessive blood sugar in patients with kind 2 diabetes.
- Utilized alongside a balanced diet and exercise regimen.
- Potential adjunct with different medicinal drugs for most fulfilling blood sugar control.
- It is geared toward preventing complications consisting of kidney damage, blindness, nerve issues, limb loss, and sexual dysfunction.
- Effective diabetes control may additionally reduce the risk of coronary heart attacks or strokes.
Mechanism of Action for Metformin:
- It enhances the body’s capacity to respond normally to insulin again.
- Decreases sugar production through the liver.
- Reduces absorption of sugar by means of the stomach and intestines.
Administration
When you are taking metformin, it’s vital that you strictly observe your doctor’s advice. Normally, metformin should be taken with food unless otherwise directed by your doctor. Some products are designed for once-daily use with the evening meal. Do not break or chew extended-release tablets when administering metformin; instead, swallow them whole. If using a liquid form, measure doses accurately and shake the oral suspension before measuring.
Dosage: Usually, when adults commence treatment, they are given either 500mg or 850mg per day divided into two doses taken at meal-time.
Your health practitioner may offer a glucagon injection package for intense hypoglycemia, so it is essential that your circle of relatives or close friends understand how to administer it in an emergency. Various elements like pressure, illness, surgical procedures, exercise, alcohol use, or skipping food can affect blood sugar degrees, so consult your doctor before making any modifications to your dose or medication schedule.
Additionally, your health practitioner may suggest taking extra vitamin B12 while on this medication, but simplest, take the amount prescribed through your physician.
Warnings
- People with excessive kidney disease, metabolic acidosis, or diabetic ketoacidosis should no longer take metformin.
- If you require an X-ray or CT scan that uses injected dye, your physician might also advocate for you to temporarily forestall taking metformin ahead.
- It's also essential to be aware of lactic acidosis, an unprecedented but severe effect. Symptoms include unusual muscle pain, respiratory difficulties, belly disappointment, dizziness, feeling cold, and excessive weak spots or fatigue.
Precautions
- Inform your health practitioner or pharmacist about allergic reactions, together with metformin and capability reactions to inactive components.
- Prioritize informing scientific experts of your scientific records, particularly excessive respiration problems, blood issues, and kidney or liver disease.
- Before surgical treatment or X-ray approaches with iodinated assessment, expose all medications and observe commands, doubtlessly pausing metformin briefly.
- While experiencing low or high blood sugar levels, be careful to reduce blurred vision, dizziness or drowsiness, thereby not participating in activities requiring mental alertness until after being very sure they are safe.
- Cut down on alcohol intake to decrease the possibility of lactic acidosis as well as hypoglycemia.
- Lactic acidosis risk may increase due to factors such as dehydration arising from fever, diuretics, sweating, diarrhea, and vomiting; therefore, hydrate properly and consult a physician regarding prolonged cases of diarrhea or vomiting.
- In case you are under stress make adjustments in treatment required for better blood sugar control.
- Elderly individuals may be extra prone to facet outcomes together with low blood sugar or lactic acidosis.
- Discuss with your health practitioner the use of metformin throughout pregnancy, considering potential dangers and alternatives like insulin.
- Consult your doctor before breastfeeding, as metformin passes into breast milk in small quantities.
Side Effects
Allergic Reactions:
- Itchy rash
- Breathing problems
- Swollen face, lips, tongue and throat.
Lactic Acidosis (Seek Emergency Medical Help):
- Unusual muscle pain
- Feeling cold
- Trouble breathing
- Dizziness
- Light-headedness
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Stomach pain
- Vomiting
- Slow or irregular heart rate
Common Side Effects:
- Low blood sugar
- Nausea
- Upset stomach
- Diarrhea
Less Common Side Effects:
- Weakness
- Metallic taste in the mouth.
Additional Considerations:
- Potential for low blood sugar if taken with other diabetes medicines.
- Symptoms of low blood sugar: surprising sweating, shaking, speedy heartbeat, hunger, blurred vision, dizziness.
- Symptoms of excessive blood sugar: accelerated thirst/urination.
Interactions
Metformin interacts with several classes of medicinal drugs, potentially affecting its effectiveness or increasing the danger of lactic acidosis. One outstanding interplay occurs with H2-receptor antagonists together with cimetidine. These drugs can elevate the plasma attention of metformin by impeding its renal clearance.
Additionally, positive antibiotics like cephalexin may additionally similarly increase metformin concentrations via competitive mechanisms.
The constant increase in the number of interactions among various medications creates the necessity to inform medical personnel not only about the drugs they prescribe but also about other kinds of therapy, including drugs for which a prescription is needed and esoteric drugs, as well as over-the-counter drugs and vitamins.
Contraindications
Contraindicated in people who have:
- Severe chronic kidney damage (eGFR) below 30 mL/min/1.73 m2)
- Having an acknowledged hypersensitivity or allergic reaction to metformin.
- Acute and chronic metabolic acidosis, for instance, diabetic ketoacidosis on account of out of control diabetes, without or with coma.