Metformin harmful for the heart ??

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I am a non diabetic man with some insulin resistance and FBS leves of

100+, I was considering the use of Metformin for its potential life

extension benefits. However, the following study appears to be

troubling. I request comments and opinions and any other relevent studies/facts.

Best regards

Rizwan Kherati

Antidiabetic Agents May Harm the Heart in Non-Diabetics

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Apr 28 - In a study of non-diabetic African

Americans with insulin resistance, the long-term use of oral

antidiabetic agents was associated with an increase in aortic pulse

wave velocity (PWV),which is consistent with a decrease in the

elastic properties of the aorta.

" It has been shown previously that increased PWV is an indicator of a

high incidence of cardiovascular events and an independent predictor

of cardiac mortality, " study investigators note in the May issue of

the journal Heart.

Therefore, " the use of oral antidiabetic agents for the prevention of

cardiovascular complications in non-diabetic African Americans with

insulin resistance needs to be critically evaluated, " they conclude.

It has been suggested that improving insulin sensitivity, perhaps

with oral antidiabetic agents, in insulin resistant non-diabetic

individuals may delay the development of diabetes and its related

cardiovascular complications.

But data are lacking on the long-term cardiovascular effects of these

agents in non-diabetic populations.

To investigate, Dr. Harisios Boudoulas from the Academy of Athens in

Greece and associates randomly assigned 181 normoglycemic African

Americans, but with insulin resistance, to glipizide (5 mg/day),

metformin (500 mg/day)or placebo for 24 months.

They observed a significant increase in aortic PWV in both glipizide-

and metformin-treated subjects, with p values of 0.012 and 0.01,

respectively.

In contrast, aortic PWV remained unchanged in the placebo arm.

The increase in PWV in the two active treatment arms was significant

relative to placebo (analysis of variance p < 0.05).

" No other cardiovascular or metabolic variable changed significantly

during the follow up period, " they note.

In a multivariate analysis, treatment with glipizide or

metformin " was the only independent predictor of changes in PWV

during the follow up period. "

The investigators note that the precise mechanism or mechanisms

responsible for the effects of these agents on aortic function are

unknown and deserve further study.

Heart 2005;91:589-594.