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Safety of Metformin

Metformin is the generic name of a prescription medication used to treat type 2 diabetes. While the most common side effects of metformin normally do not pose any long-term health complications, the drug does pose some less-common dangers.

  1. Common Side Effects

    • The most common side effects of metformin include loss of appetite, a metallic taste in your mouth, flatulence, stomachaches, nausea, vomiting and weight loss, according to the Mayo Clinic.

    Identification

    • The most serious risk posed by metformin is the danger of lactic acidosis, a condition where your blood becomes too acidic. The condition causes symptoms like sever muscle pain and difficulty breathing, and has the potential to develop into hypothermia and dangerous drops in blood pressure and breathing rates.

    Significance

    • Approximately 50 percent of all cases of lactic acidosis are fatal, according to RxList.com.

    Features

    • Drinking alcohol while taking metformin increases your risk of developing lactic acidosis, reports RxList.

    Considerations

    • If you have a history of congestive heart failure or kidney disease or if you are over the age of 80, you are at a significantly increased risk of developing lactic acidosis from metformin, warns RxList. Because of this, it may not be safe for you to take the drug at all.

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