What is metformin 500 mg used for

Who? Metformin is a commonly recommended initial medication for patients with What? Metformin is manufactured under several different brand names. The most common ones are: • • Where? Metformin primarily reduces the When? Metformin is usually taken with meals, either once or twice a day depending on the brand. Available dosage of pills include 500 mg, 850 mg, and 1000 mg. The treatment plan will differ for each patient, but a common starting regimen is listed below: • To avoid stomach upset, patients usually start with a very low dose (500 mg), taken with dinner. • After a few weeks, the dose may increase to 500 mg with breakfast and 500 mg with dinner. • A few weeks later, the dose may increase again to 500 mg with breakfast and 1 g with dinner. • If the patient has no side effects, the dose mayincrease to 1000 mg with breakfast and 1000 mg with dinner. This is usually the maximum dose. Why? • Metformin is the treatment of choice for • Patients may lose a few pounds of weighton metformin. • Metformin is very effective at controlling blood glucose and lowers • By itself, metformin does not usually cause low blood glucose. • Side effects including diarrhea. However, a slow increase in doses or extended release preparations can often prevent this. • In rare cases, metformin can have a serious adverse side effectcalled • To prevent serious kidney damage, patients generally shouldNOT take metformin for 24 hours before—or 48 hours after—receiving • Patients with mild-to-moderat...

If you have With type 2 diabetes, your body can’t regulate your You should use metformin together with a balanced, nutritious diet and exercise routine. This way, the drug will have a better effect on your blood sugar levels. To learn more about type 2 diabetes and how metformin is used, see the “ Metformin oral tablet basics Metformin is an active drug ingredient. It comes as an oral tablet that you’ll take by mouth. Metformin is classified as a Metformin is available as immediate-release tablets and extended-release tablets. Immediate-release tablets start working as soon as you take them. Extended-release tablets work over a certain period of time after you take them. Read on to learn more about metformin’s side effects, how it’s taken, and more. Note: Metformin also comes in an oral solution. But only the oral tablet form is described in this article. If you’d like to learn about metformin’s other forms, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Metformin oral tablet brand-name versions Metformin immediate-release tablets are available as the brand-name drug Glucophage. And metformin extended-release tablets are available as the brand-name drugs Glumetza and Fortamet. Note: The other forms of metformin are available as different brand-name drugs. To learn more about these versions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Metformin oral tablet is a generic drug, which means it’s an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. The brand-name medication that it’s bas...

Ever wonder why certain medications are called "wonder drugs"? Sometimes it's because of the tremendous health benefits the drug provides for a particular condition, like insulin for type 1 diabetes or antibiotics for pneumonia. Or, it might be because the drug is good for many different conditions: aspirin has often been called a wonder drug because it can Could metformin be joining this list? It's approved in the US to treat type 2 diabetes when used with diet and exercise by people ages 10 and older. But in recent years, interest has grown regarding its potential to prevent or treat a variety of other conditions, including aging. Yes, aging. If that's true, "wonder drug" might be an understatement. What is metformin? The Metformin was rediscovered decades later and approved as a treatment for diabetes in Europe in the 1950s. It wasn't until 1995 that the FDA approved it for use in the US. It has since become the most widely prescribed medication for people with diabetes who cannot control their blood sugar through diet and exercise alone. Metformin's benefits may extend far beyond diabetes For decades we've known that metformin does more than just help lower blood sugar in people with diabetes. It also offers them Metformin may also have health benefits for people who don't have diabetes. Doctors have long prescribed it off-label — that is, to treat conditions outside its approved use, including: • Prediabetes. People with prediabetes have elevated blood sugar that isn'...

Read the Patient Information Leaflet if available from your Take this The dosage is based on your medical condition, response to treatment, and other Take this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. Remember to use it at the same times each day. If you are already taking another See also Warning section. Remember that this Symptoms of high blood sugar ( Stop taking this medication and tell your doctor right away if this very serious side effect occurs: lactic acidosis (see Warning section). A very serious This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345. See also Warning section. Before taking this Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: severe Before having surgery or any X-ray/scanning procedure using iodinated contrast, tell your doctor or You may experience Limit alcohol while using this medication because it can increase your risk of It may be harder to control your Older adults may be at greater risk for side effects such as During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefit...

Metformin also has “It takes an old cell or an old organ and fixes a lot of things. And it has a domino effect; if you target one hallmark, it will affect the others.” says Dr. Nir Barzilai, director of the Einstein Institute for Aging Research and a professor of medicine and genetics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Plus, metformin’s been around for 60 years and is generally safe for most people, according to Steven Austad, distinguished professor and chair in Healthy Aging Research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and senior scientific director of the American Federation for Aging Research. Why treat aging After about age 60, many of us start to accumulate age-related diseases like heart disease, diabetes, many forms of cancer, and dementia. Additionally, as people age, they’re more likely to have several conditions at the same time. Researchers believe it’s the biology of aging that drives these diseases, so preventing them means However, the FDA does not recognize aging as a preventable condition. So, each medical problem is treated separately. But by targeting aging itself, and mitigating changes at the cellular level, we could treat or prevent all of these conditions together, which would mark a huge shift in how we approach age-related diseases, according to Barzilai. Metformin is derived from Galega officinalis, also known as goat’s rue, a More than 150 million people worldwide currently use the drug to manage their type 2 diabetes. Met...

Metformin also has “It takes an old cell or an old organ and fixes a lot of things. And it has a domino effect; if you target one hallmark, it will affect the others.” says Dr. Nir Barzilai, director of the Einstein Institute for Aging Research and a professor of medicine and genetics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Plus, metformin’s been around for 60 years and is generally safe for most people, according to Steven Austad, distinguished professor and chair in Healthy Aging Research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and senior scientific director of the American Federation for Aging Research. Why treat aging After about age 60, many of us start to accumulate age-related diseases like heart disease, diabetes, many forms of cancer, and dementia. Additionally, as people age, they’re more likely to have several conditions at the same time. Researchers believe it’s the biology of aging that drives these diseases, so preventing them means However, the FDA does not recognize aging as a preventable condition. So, each medical problem is treated separately. But by targeting aging itself, and mitigating changes at the cellular level, we could treat or prevent all of these conditions together, which would mark a huge shift in how we approach age-related diseases, according to Barzilai. Metformin is derived from Galega officinalis, also known as goat’s rue, a More than 150 million people worldwide currently use the drug to manage their type 2 diabetes. Met...

Ever wonder why certain medications are called "wonder drugs"? Sometimes it's because of the tremendous health benefits the drug provides for a particular condition, like insulin for type 1 diabetes or antibiotics for pneumonia. Or, it might be because the drug is good for many different conditions: aspirin has often been called a wonder drug because it can Could metformin be joining this list? It's approved in the US to treat type 2 diabetes when used with diet and exercise by people ages 10 and older. But in recent years, interest has grown regarding its potential to prevent or treat a variety of other conditions, including aging. Yes, aging. If that's true, "wonder drug" might be an understatement. What is metformin? The Metformin was rediscovered decades later and approved as a treatment for diabetes in Europe in the 1950s. It wasn't until 1995 that the FDA approved it for use in the US. It has since become the most widely prescribed medication for people with diabetes who cannot control their blood sugar through diet and exercise alone. Metformin's benefits may extend far beyond diabetes For decades we've known that metformin does more than just help lower blood sugar in people with diabetes. It also offers them Metformin may also have health benefits for people who don't have diabetes. Doctors have long prescribed it off-label — that is, to treat conditions outside its approved use, including: • Prediabetes. People with prediabetes have elevated blood sugar that isn'...

Read the Patient Information Leaflet if available from your Take this The dosage is based on your medical condition, response to treatment, and other Take this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. Remember to use it at the same times each day. If you are already taking another See also Warning section. Remember that this Symptoms of high blood sugar ( Stop taking this medication and tell your doctor right away if this very serious side effect occurs: lactic acidosis (see Warning section). A very serious This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345. See also Warning section. Before taking this Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: severe Before having surgery or any X-ray/scanning procedure using iodinated contrast, tell your doctor or You may experience Limit alcohol while using this medication because it can increase your risk of It may be harder to control your Older adults may be at greater risk for side effects such as During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefit...

Who? Metformin is a commonly recommended initial medication for patients with What? Metformin is manufactured under several different brand names. The most common ones are: • • Where? Metformin primarily reduces the When? Metformin is usually taken with meals, either once or twice a day depending on the brand. Available dosage of pills include 500 mg, 850 mg, and 1000 mg. The treatment plan will differ for each patient, but a common starting regimen is listed below: • To avoid stomach upset, patients usually start with a very low dose (500 mg), taken with dinner. • After a few weeks, the dose may increase to 500 mg with breakfast and 500 mg with dinner. • A few weeks later, the dose may increase again to 500 mg with breakfast and 1 g with dinner. • If the patient has no side effects, the dose mayincrease to 1000 mg with breakfast and 1000 mg with dinner. This is usually the maximum dose. Why? • Metformin is the treatment of choice for • Patients may lose a few pounds of weighton metformin. • Metformin is very effective at controlling blood glucose and lowers • By itself, metformin does not usually cause low blood glucose. • Side effects including diarrhea. However, a slow increase in doses or extended release preparations can often prevent this. • In rare cases, metformin can have a serious adverse side effectcalled • To prevent serious kidney damage, patients generally shouldNOT take metformin for 24 hours before—or 48 hours after—receiving • Patients with mild-to-moderat...

If you have With type 2 diabetes, your body can’t regulate your You should use metformin together with a balanced, nutritious diet and exercise routine. This way, the drug will have a better effect on your blood sugar levels. To learn more about type 2 diabetes and how metformin is used, see the “ Metformin oral tablet basics Metformin is an active drug ingredient. It comes as an oral tablet that you’ll take by mouth. Metformin is classified as a Metformin is available as immediate-release tablets and extended-release tablets. Immediate-release tablets start working as soon as you take them. Extended-release tablets work over a certain period of time after you take them. Read on to learn more about metformin’s side effects, how it’s taken, and more. Note: Metformin also comes in an oral solution. But only the oral tablet form is described in this article. If you’d like to learn about metformin’s other forms, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Metformin oral tablet brand-name versions Metformin immediate-release tablets are available as the brand-name drug Glucophage. And metformin extended-release tablets are available as the brand-name drugs Glumetza and Fortamet. Note: The other forms of metformin are available as different brand-name drugs. To learn more about these versions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Metformin oral tablet is a generic drug, which means it’s an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. The brand-name medication that it’s bas...