Prevention of type 2 diabetes: role of metformin.
Metformin lowers moderate (nondiabetic) fasting hyperglycaemia in individuals at risk for type 2 diabetes without causing hypoglycaemia. In addition, it has demonstrated favourable action on several cardiovascular risk factors that are often present in these individuals: it favours the maintenance of diet-induced weight loss and its associated improvement in fibrinolysis; and it lowers plasma concentrations of fasting insulin, total and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, free fatty acids, and of two markers of endothelial damage--tissue plasminogen activator antigen and von Willebrand factor. These effects together with the good tolerability profile of the drug position metformin as a first-line agent for the prevention of type 2 diabetes.
Charles
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MA
National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) Unit 21, Villejuif, France. charles@vjf.inserm.fr
Eschwège
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D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008687:Metformin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D008687:Metformin