Influence of disease and drug factors on metformin daily dose

ABSTRACT

Metformin may, in the presence of certain risk factors, cause serious lactic acidosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of risk factors for lactic acidosis among diabetic patients and to determine whether metformin daily dose was influenced by the presence of these risk factors or not. One hundred and eighteen patients were included in the study. Information about disease status and medication profile of the patient was retrieved from patient's medical files who were having diabetes mellitus and prescribed metformin. Approximately, tow thirds [74/118, 62.7%] of the included patients had a least one disease risk factor for lactic acidosis. Of those patients, [48/74; 64.9%] had a dose adjustment, with congestive heart failure and renal impairment being the risk factors most likely to result in a dose adjustment. More than one third [38%] of metformin patients were co-prescribed ACE-I or NSAIDs. The dose of metformin was insignificantly influenced by the co-administration of drug risk factors. Metformin total dialy dose was significantly influenced by the presence of disease risk factors and was insignificantly influenced by the co-administration of drug risk factors. Short running title Risk Factors and Metformin Dose