[Treatment of diabetics with metformin]

After a brief survey of the mechanism of biquanides treatment and their indications and contraindications with the peroral treatment of diabetes mellitus, the adverse effects of that treatment are stressed upon, manifested mainly in lactacidosis. The latter is indicated to be most frequently found during the treatment with tenformin, rarely -- with buformin and most rarely and in a lighter form -- with metformin. That uneven effect of biquanide preparations is associated with a certain difference in their pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. On the other hand -- those adverse effects result most frequently from unproper treatment carried outnot observing the indications and particularly the contraindications and surpassing the therapeutic doses. Very good results are reported, that were obtained by the authors, in the treatment with metform of 70 diabetic patients with insulin-independent type of diabetes and body overweight, that failed to respond to the treatment with a reducing diet or a diet and sulfurea preparations and resistant to insulin. Indications for that treatment are presented as well as the necessity of strict observation of the contraindications for its administration.