Did You Know? Metformin Reduces Deaths in Patients with Diabetes and Atherothrombosis

Metformin Reduces Deaths in Patients with Diabetes and Atherothrombosis: New research shows that in patients with diabetes and known atherothrombosis, metformin is associated with a 24% decrease in all-cause mortality after two years of follow-up. The results indicated that even patients thought to have contraindications to metformin -- including moderate renal failure, congestive heart failure, or advanced age -- showed benefits from the medication. Subjects involved in this study were at least 45 years of age and had documented cerebrovascular disease, coronary disease, or historical or current intermittent claudication, plus at least three atherothrombotic risk factors. One group of 7,457 patients used metformin, and 12,234 did not. After the researchers adjusted for a number of variables, survival with metformin use was significantly greater than that without metformin. Presented at the ADA 2010 Scientific Sessions.