INTRODUCTION

METFORM 500MG contains Metformin hydrochloride which belongs to a group of medicines known as biguanides. Diabetes is a condition where the pancreas does not make enough insulin, a hormone which makes your body take in glucose (sugar) from the blood. This leads to a high level of glucose in your blood.

This medicine helps to lower your blood glucose to normal level. It is an antihyperglycemic agent used in patients with type 2 diabetes which improves glucose tolerance. In liver it suppresses hepatic gluconeogenesis (glycogen breaks down into glucose-1-phosphate and glycogen) and glycogenolysis (breakdown of glycogen to glucose) which is responsible for lowering of blood glucose in diabetic patients.

Your doctor decides upon the dose you take depending on your age, other medications you are taking and whether you have any kidney or liver problems. This medicine is not recommended for breastfeeding mothers. The common side effects are nausea, vomiting, headache, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. This medicine is suitable for children and adolescents over 10 years of age as recommended by your physician.

USES OF METFORM 500MG

• Treats type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent diabetes)

HOW METFORM 500MG WORKS

Metformin hydrochloride works by reducing the amount of sugar releases by liver into your blood. Insulin acts by decreasing glucose production from the liver and decreases absorption of glucose from the intestine after taking food while improving the sensitivity of the body organs and muscles towards insulin, thus helping in controlling the blood sugar level.

DIRECTIONS FOR USE

Always take this medicine exactly as instructed by your doctor. Take the medicine with or after a meal. It will avoid you from having side effects like affecting your digestion. Do not crush or chew the medicine. Swallow with a glass of water.

SIDE EFFECTS OF METFORM 500MG

HOW TO MANAGE SIDE EFFECTS

Feeling sick (nausea) or vomiting:

Try simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy foods.

Diarrhoea:

Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. ORS should be used to prevent dehydration.

Abdominal pain:

Keep hot water bottle or heated bag on your abdomen. Drink plenty of clear fluids and water.

WARNING & PRECAUTIONS

INTERACTIONS

Tell your doctor if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription or the following:

• diuretics (increase urine production)
• ibuprofen and celecoxib (used to treat pain and inflammation)
• ACE inhibitors and angiotensin ii receptor antagonists (treatment of high blood pressure)
• salbutamol or terbutaline ((used to treat asthma)
• corticosteroids (used to treat severe inflammation of the skin or in asthma)
• verapamil, rifampicin, cimetidine, dolutegravir, ranolazine, trimethoprim, vandetanib,
• isavuconazole, crizotinib, olaparib
• Other medicines used to treat diabetes (sulphonylureas, insulin, meglitinides)

SYNOPSIS

MORE INFORMATION

Store below 20-25°C and keep out of reach of children.

FAQs ABOUT METFORM 500MG

What does METFORM 500MG do exactly?

In type 2 diabetes, your body will not able to make enough insulin or respond normally to the insulin made by their bodies. This medicine acts by decreasing glucose production from the liver and decreases absorption of glucose from the intestine after taking food while improving the sensitivity of the body organs and muscles towards insulin.

Can METFORM 500MG make you sleepy?

This medicine is usually well tolerated and does not cause sleepiness. But rarely, it causes sleep disorders and insomnia.

How to take METFORM 500MG?

Take this medicine with or after a meal. Do not crush or chew the medicine and swallow it with a glass of water. Always take as prescribed by your doctor.

REFERENCES

1. KD Tripathi MD. Insulin, oral hypoglycaemic drugs and glucagon. Essentials of Medical Pharmacology 7th ed. New Delhi, May 2013. Page – 275.

2. Powers AC, D Alessio D. Endocrine Pancreas and Pharmacotherapy of Diabetes Mellitus and Hypoglycemia. Goodman & Gilman’s: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2011. Page - 1258-1260.

3. Nolte MS. Pancreatic hormones and antidiabetic drugs.  Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 11th ed. New Delhi, India: Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited; 2009. Page - 741-742.

4. Briggs GG, Freeman RK, editors. A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal Risk: Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. Page - 873-875.

5. Graham Rena, Grahame Hardie and Ewan R. The mechanisms of action of metformin: Diabetologia. Aug 3, 2017; [Accessed Oct 1, 2020] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5552828/

6. Milpharm Limited, Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC); [Revised July 2020] [Accessed Oct 1, 2020] https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.7347.pdf

7. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. U.S. Food & Drug Administration; [Revised March 2014] [Accessed Oct 1, 2020] https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/020357s037s039,021202s021s023lbl.pdf

USEFUL DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

• Glucose - Fasting Blood
• Glucose - Postprandial Blood
• Glycosylated Hemoglobin