DOC News June 1, 2006
Volume 3 Number 6 p. 13
© 2006 American Diabetes Association
Sustained-Release Metformin Safe and Effective
An extended-release formulation of metformin is safe and effective fortreating people with type 2 diabetes, according to a study recently reportedin Diabetes Care.
A sustained-release version of metformin (Glumetza, Depomed) was tested on750 adults newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who were followed at 85medical centers in the U.S. in a phase III clinical trial conducted August2001–October 2003.
Subjects were assigned randomly to receive 1,500 mg extended-releasemetformin each day, 1,500 mg extended-release metformin in two daily doses(500 mg in the morning, 1,000 mg in the evening), 2,000 mg extended-releasemetformin daily, or 1,500 mg immediate-release metformin twice daily.
Although levels of glycated hemoglobin (A1C) fell in all groups, thegreatest decrease was in the group receiving 2,000 mg extended-releasemetformin daily compared with those receiving two daily doses ofimmediate-release drug. The group that received the 2,000 mg ofextended-release metformin daily had the lowest dropout rate attributable tonausea.
Conclusion: the extended-release formulation of metformin is as safe andeffective as immediate-release metformin and may lead to greater patientadherence.
Schwartz S, Fonseca V, Berner B, et al.: Efficacy,tolerability, and safety of a novel once-daily extended-release metformin inpatients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 29: 759–764, 2006[Abstract/Free Full Text]
.
CiteULike 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
