Related Experiment Videos
Metformin and insulin: is there a role for combination therapy?
1Department of Pharmacy, Summa Health System, Akron, OH 44309, USA.
The Annals of Pharmacotherapy
|April 1, 1997
Summary
Adding metformin to insulin therapy for type 1 diabetes likely reduces insulin needs. However, more extensive research is required to confirm benefits and risks of this combination therapy.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Pharmacology
- Metabolic Diseases
Background:
- Metformin offers new treatment options for diabetes mellitus.
- Concomitant insulin and metformin therapy is a potential strategy for type 1 diabetes management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing literature on the combined use of insulin and metformin in type 1 diabetes.
- To assess the potential benefits and risks of this combination therapy.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search (1966-1996) was conducted using MEDLINE and bibliographic databases.
- Included human studies involving metformin with insulin, and phenformin with insulin due to its similarities.
Main Results:
- Combination therapy consistently showed a reduction in insulin requirements.
- Studies were not sufficiently large or long-term to definitively prove benefits.
Conclusions:
- Metformin addition to insulin therapy likely decreases insulin requirements.
- Insufficient data exists to determine if the benefits of combination therapy outweigh the risks.
- Further large-scale, long-duration studies are needed before routine recommendation for type 1 diabetes.