Pharmacogenetics of Metformin

Abstract

Hyperglycemia is a medical condition in which an increase in glucose levels in the blood exceeds normal limits. Hyperglycemia is one of the typical signs of diabetes mellitus (DM). The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts an increase in the number of people with DM which is a global health threat. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, and the leading cause of heart disease and stroke, in adults. Metformin, which is a biguanide group, is recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes as the first-line oral therapy for DM and is the most widely used oral medication worldwide. Metformin can also increase peripheral glucose utilization and ultimately decrease the production of fatty acids and triglycerides. Some of the individual differences that underlie the variation in response to metformin.