Clinical drug investigation
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Metformin has been associated with lactic acidosis. Lactate levels are not commonly tested in clinical practice, and it is unclear to what extent metformin would typically increase lactate levels with chronic use. The aim of this review was to determine whether regular monitoring of the plasma lactate level would be beneficial in avoiding lactate accumulation and, ultimately, minimising the incidence of lactic acidosis in metformin-treated patients. ⋯ However, most results showed that the lactate level remained in the normal range. No definitive conclusions on the benefits of regular lactate monitoring in patients taking metformin can be made. Future research on larger populations focusing on the measurement of lactate levels with continuous metformin use is warranted.