People with diabetes are at high risk of heart disease, which is a major complication of this metabolic disorder. The common diabetes drug metformin (Fortamet, Glucophage, Glumetza, Riomet) appears to protect your heart, however.
Data from 200 Studies Were Pooled:
Researchers analyzed data from more than 200 studies to compare the effects of common drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes. They found that people taking metformin for their diabetes were 30 to 40 percent less likely to die of heart disease than those taking another commonly prescribed class of diabetes drug called sulfonylureas. These are medications such as chlorpropamide, glipizide or glimepiride.
Could Metformin Protect Your Heart?
The benefit from metformin holds only for people who are able to control their type 2 diabetes with a single drug. The information on diabetes drug combinations wasn’t clear. If you have type 2 diabetes, it would be smart to ask your doctor if you could use metformin with diet, exercise and meditation rather than other medications so that you could protect your heart. (You’ll learn more about metformin and other treatments for type 2 diabetes, as well as non-drug approaches, in our Guide to Managing Diabetes.)
What Are the Risks?
Metformin can cause side effects, particularly digestive distress. Exhaustion, headaches and loss of appetite have also been reported, but the most serious reaction to metformin is lactic acidosis. This buildup of lactic acid in the body can result in nausea, vomiting, hyperventilation and weakness; this complication can be life-threatening, but it is uncommon.
Even with so many studies, there was not enough data to evaluate rare safety problems like this that may be linked to certain drugs. As a result, the investigators were unable to say whether another treatment would be as safe or safer than metformin.
