| Topic: | Diabetes (DM) |
| Title: | Metformin: Now or Later?. |
| Author: | n/a |
| Source: | Harvard Health Letter. 32(1): 4. November 2006. |
| Availability: | Available from Harvard Health Letter. P.O. Box 9308, Big Sandy, TX 75755. Phone: 1-877-649-9457. Email: harvardHL@strategicfulfillment.com. Website: www.health.harvard.edu. Price: Annual subscription: $28.00. |
| Abstract: | This newsletter article considers the use of metformin (Glucophage) and when it should be started in people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Metformin lowers blood sugar levels by decreasing the liver’s production of sugar and by increasing the effectiveness of insulin, the hormone that escorts sugar into the cells where it can be used. Insulin resistance is one of the main features of type 2 diabetes. Metformin is a first-line medication for several reasons: It is effective, lowering blood sugar levels by about 20 percent; people do not tend to gain weight when they take it, in contrast to insulin and the sulfonylurea drugs; and it is relatively inexpensive. Proponents of this type of drug therapy say that these medications tame conditions that are too serious to allow to progress. Critics counter that not nearly enough has been invested in devising ways to make diet and exercise programs work; approaches that do not carry the side effects that medications cause. The author concludes that the most important thing for people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes is to get their blood glucose levels under control. If this can be achieved without the drug therapy, that is fine, but if metformin is required to reach appropriate glycosylated hemoglobin levels, patients should not hesitate to include the drug in their diabetes management plan. |
| Format: | Newsletter Article |
| Language: | English. |
| Major Keywords: | Diabetes Mellitus. Drug Therapy. Blood Glucose. Type 2 Diabetes. Metformin. Patient Care Management. |
| Minor Keywords: | Guidelines. Drug Effects. Weight Loss. Glycosylated Hemoglobin. Exercise. Patient Selection. Administration and Dosage. |
| Publication Number: | DMJA12720. |
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