The pathophysiological basis of the protective effects of metformin in heart failure.

Abstract

Metformin, currently recommended as the drug of first choice in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), is one of the few antihiperglycemic drugs to reduce cardiovascular risk. Nonetheless, due to the risk of lactic acidosis during metformin therapy, its usage in patients with diabetes and heart failure (HF) is still a matter of debate. The aim of this review is to present data supporting the possibility of using metformin in the treatment of diabetic patients with concomitant heart failure. In the failing heart, metformin through the mechanism related to AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity, improves free fatty acids (FFA) and glucose metabolism, mitochondrial biogenesis, as well as nitric oxide (NO)-NO synthase pathway. Metformin can also inhibit the generation and accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and thereby prevents the development of the adverse structural and functional changes in myocardium.In summary, experimental and clinical data indicate the ability of metformin to prevent the development of the structural and functional changes in myocardium, although further basic research and clinical studies assessing benefits and safety of metformin therapy in patients with HF are required.