Metformin Zentiva
Metformin Zentiva is a medicine used to treat type 2 diabetes by helping to lower high blood sugar levels, especially for overweight patients.
How to Use
Dosage
For children 10 years and older: 500 mg or 850 mg once a day. For adults: 500 mg or 850 mg two to three times a day.
Method
Take with or after a meal. Do not crush or chew the tablets. Swallow each tablet with a glass of water.
For children (10+): 2000 mg daily, divided into 2 or 3 doses. For adults: 3000 mg daily, divided into 3 doses.
Possible Side Effects
- •Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and loss of appetite, especially at the start of treatment. If these symptoms persist, stop taking the medicine and consult your doctor.
- •Changes in taste.
- •Lowered vitamin B12 levels in the blood, which can lead to symptoms like extreme tiredness, a sore red tongue, tingling, or pale/yellow skin. Your doctor may arrange tests to find the cause.
- •Lactic acidosis, a very rare but serious complication (symptoms include vomiting, stomach pain, muscle cramps, feeling very tired, trouble breathing). Seek immediate medical help if these occur.
- •Abnormal liver function tests or hepatitis (inflammation of the liver, which can cause tiredness, loss of appetite, weight loss, or yellowing of the skin/eyes). Stop taking the medicine and contact your doctor if you have these symptoms.
- •Skin reactions like redness, itching, or hives.
Important Warnings
- Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to metformin or any other ingredient in this medicine.
- Do not take this medicine if you have severe kidney, liver, or heart problems.
- Do not take this medicine if your diabetes is uncontrolled, especially with symptoms like severe high blood sugar, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rapid weight loss, or ketoacidosis (a serious condition where too much acid builds up in your blood).
- Do not take this medicine if you are severely dehydrated (lost a lot of body fluid) or have a severe infection, as this can affect your kidneys.
- Avoid drinking a lot of alcohol while taking this medicine.
Show 2 more warnings
- Stop taking this medicine and contact your doctor or nearest hospital immediately if you experience symptoms of lactic acidosis, such as vomiting, stomach pain, muscle cramps, feeling very tired, or trouble breathing, as it can lead to coma.
- You will need to stop taking Metformin Zentiva for a period before and after certain medical tests (like X-rays with iodine dye) or surgery. Your doctor will tell you when.
Use in Elderly Patients
Suitable for older adults, with specific precautions. Reduce the dose already in mild renal impairment. Do not use in severe renal impairment or tissue hypoxia. May reduce the absorption of vitamin B12. Consider risk of lactic acidosis. The drug should be paused during fever, gastroenteritis or dehydration, and before surgery or imaging with a contrast agent. (updated 20.5.2024)