Via practica 4/2015

Metformin – current position in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and discussed questions of its using

Metformin is oral antidiabetic agent from the group of biguanides. It came into clinical practice in 1957. Three main developments in medicine during the 1960s threatened development of metformin as a therapeutic agent (thalidomide disaster, risk of lactic acidosis, results of UGDP study). Results of UKPDS contributed to renaissance of using of metformin. At present, metformin is recommended as a first line therapy in type 2 diabetic patients if there are no side effects or contraindications its using. Metformin is indicated in monotherapy or in combination with other oral antidiabetic agents, agonists of GLP-1 receptors or with insulin. In spite of using metformin in clinical practice more than 50 years, there are discussed some questions in relation to therapy with this drug primarily: adequate dose, side effects, contraindications, new trends of its using in clinical practice.

Keywords: metformin, adequate dose, side effects, contraindications, new trends.