A patient presenting with symptomatic hypomagnesemia caused by metformin-induced diarrhoea: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Metformin is licensed for treatment of diabetes mellitus type 2. This report describes a patient on metformin who developed diarrhoea and symptomatic hypomagnesemia. To the author's knowledge, this is the first report on metformin-induced symptomatic hypomagnesemia.


METHODS
The patient was a 57-year old Caucasian male with diabetes mellitus type 2. He had been on metformin for nine years and presented with chronic diarrhoea, spasms, paresthesias, pain, and malaise. Blood tests revealed hypomagnesemia, hypocalcemia, and hypokalemia.


CONCLUSIONS
Drugs associated with diarrhoea may induce malabsorption. If malabsorption is substantial it may result in further symptoms of clinical importance. In some cases potentially life-threatening conditions may occur.
Svare
Anders
A
Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7489 Trondheim, Norway. anders.svare@hnt.no