New Guideline: Metformin Best to Control HbA1c

Metformin should be the first drug of choice in oral therapy for type 2 diabetics who don't respond to diet and lifestyle changes, according to a new guideline.

A second agent can be added if metformin monotherapy fails to control hyperglycemia, but there's insufficient evidence to recommend one secondary agent over another, Amir Qaseem, MD, PhD, director of clinical policy at the American College of Physicians, and colleagues wrote in the organization's new guideline for the management of type 2 diabetes, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

"We found that most diabetes medications reduced blood sugar levels to a similar degree," Qaseem said in a statement. "However, metformin is more effective compared to other type 2 diabetes drugs in reducing blood sugar levels when used alone and in combination with other drugs."

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Source: MedPage Today