ABSTRACT
Lactic acidosis is a serious but uncommon side effect of metformin use. We discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms of lactic acidosis with particular regard to the role played by the drug as a potential cause of the entity. We report on a severe case of this kind of drug toxicity in a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus, admitted to the emergency department with acute renal failure symptoms. The diagnosis was supported by elevated serum levels of the biguanide, a procedure scarcely used in clinical practice. The management of this complication consists in drug discontinuation and hemodialysis with bicarbonate that provides symptomatic and ethiological treatment by removing both the lactate and the hypoglycemic agent from the serum. Since the symptoms of metformin-associated lactic acidosis are unspecific and its onset is subtle, a high level of suspicion is needed to establish an early diagnosis.
Subject(s)
Acidosis, Lactic/etiology , Acute Kidney Injury/complications , Hypoglycemic Agents/adverse effects , Metformin/adverse effects , Aged , Female , HumansABSTRACT
La acidosis láctica es una complicación grave pero infrecuente asociada al empleo de metformina. Se discuten los mecanismos fisiopatológicos implicados en la acidosis láctica, con especial atención al papel potencial del fármaco. Presentamos un caso severo de este efecto secundario de la metformina en una paciente con diabetes tipo 2 que ingresó en el Servicio de Urgencias Hospitalario por un cuadro de insuficiencia renal aguda. El diagnóstico quedó apoyado por unos niveles séricos elevados de la biguanida, procedimiento escasamente utilizado en la práctica clínica. El tratamiento consiste en suspender la administración del fármaco e iniciar de forma inmediata la hemodiálisis con bicarbonato, lo cual proporciona un tratamiento sintomático y etiológico al eliminar del suero tanto el lactato como el antidiabético oral. Los síntomas de la acidosis láctica por metformina son inespecíficos y el comienzo es sutil, lo que hace necesario un alto nivel de sospecha para establecer un diagnostico precoz(AU)
Lactic acidosis is a serious but uncommon side effect of metformin use. We discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms of lactic acidosis with particular regard to the role played by the drug as a potential cause of the entity .We report on a severe case of this kind of drug toxicity in a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus, admitted to the emergency department with acute renal failure symptoms. The diagnosis was supported by elevated serum levels of the biguanide, a procedure scarcely used in clinical practice .The management of this complication consists in drug discontinuation and hemodialysis with bicarbonate that provides symptomatic and ethiological treatment by removing both the lactate and the hypoglycemic agent from the serum. Since the symptoms of metformin-associated lactic acidosis are unspecific and its onset is subtle, a high level of suspicion is needed to establish an early diagnosis(AU)
