Metformin: A Popular and Effective First-Line Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes - Essay Sample

Introduction

Metformin is a popular first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes. In general, metformin is an effective and safe treatment for this prevalent condition. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the cells of the body do not respond appropriately to insulin. As a result, sugar levels in the blood rise uncontrollably. Metformin works to reduce levels of sugar in the blood. Across the world, physicians prescribe the drug to almost 120 million people every year (Aldobeaban & Alshehri, 2018). However, this popular drug has some adverse effects, especially among long term users.

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Discussion

The long term use of metformin is believed to cause lactic acidosis in patients. Although are, lactic acidosis is a serious metabolic complication that can occur due to the accumulation of metformin in the body in the course of long-term treatment. Lactic acidosis is fatal in about 50% of all the cases (Vecchio & Protti, 2011). The condition is associated with electrolyte disturbance with an increased anion gap, elevated levels of blood lactate, increased pyruvate/lactate ratio, and decreased blood pH. The onset of lactic acidosis is subtle and accompanied by nonspecific symptoms and may go unnoticed for a long time. The risks of hypotension, hypothermia, and death due to the ingestion of metformin increase drastically for patients of advanced ages.

In addition, the use of metformin increases the risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. Lack of vitamin B12 can affect any individual but the risk increases dramatically among patients who use metformin to manage type 2 diabetes. Due to the use of metformin, there is a 13% increase in vitamin B12 deficiency every year of total medication use (Aldobeaban & Alshehri, 2018). When the patient has a deficiency of this vital vitamin, they are likely to suffer from peripheral neuropathy that may likely be accompanied by a low number of red blood cells and anemia.

Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that results when nerves that carry messages to and from the spinal cord and the brain to other parts of the body are diseased or damaged. This problem increases significantly with a higher dosage, prolonged usage, and advancement in the age of the patients as the gut experiences decreased absorption of vitamin B12.

In some instances, metformin has been known to cause hypoglycemia. This serious condition results when blood sugar levels drop too low. Hypoglycemia is common among patients of type 2 diabetes who do heavy physical exercise or fast while taking metformin medication. A huge number of people suffering from types 2 diabetes are obese and advised to exercise regularly.

However, when undergoing treatment with metformin, this lifestyle change could be dangerous and sometimes fatal. When glucose is at exceedingly low levels, the body is unable to function properly. When glucose levels cannot be brought back up quickly, the patient may die. In the absence of other co-ingestions, hypoglycemia can be induced by metformin toxicity due to increased glucose consumption secondary to anaerobic metabolism.

Conclusion

As observed, metformin is a popular and common drug among patients suffering from type 2 diabetes. However, metformin has some serious side effects especially after prolonged use, increased dosage, and advancement in age. One of these serious side effects includes lactic acidosis that results from the buildup of lactic acid in the blood. Other adverse effects of metformin usage include hypoglycemia and vitamin B12 deficiency.

Reference

Aldobeaban, S., & Alshehri, A. (2018). Recurrent hypoglycemia secondary to metformin toxicity in the absence of co-ingestions: a case report. Journal of medical case reports, 12(1), 223. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-018-1758-0

Vecchio, S., & Protti, A. (2011). Metformin-induced lactic acidosis: no one left behind. Critical Care(107). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/cc9404