METFORMIN IMPROVES GLUCOSE, LIPID-METABOLISM, AND REDUCES BLOOD-PRESSURE IN HYPERTENSIVE, OBESE WOMEN

OBJECTIVE- To determine the effects of metformin on blood pressure, le ft ventricular mass, and some metabolic and endocrine parameters in no ndiabetic, obese, hypertensive women. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - Tw elve obese, nondiabetic, hypertensive women received 850 mg metformin 2 times/day for 12 wk and placebo for another 12 wk, according to a do uble-blind, cross-over, randomized design. All patients were hospitali zed 4 times, i.e., before randomization and after each treatment (metf ormin or placebo), to conduct metabolic and cardiovascular investigati ons (oral glucose tolerance test, euglycemic clamp associated with ind irect calorimetry, and echocardiography). RESULTS - Fasting glucose, H bA1c, fasting and glucose-stimulated insulin, blood pressure and left ventricular mass, cholesterol, triglycerides, and fibrinogen decreased significantly after metformin treatment, whereas high- density lipopr otein cholesterol increased. The improvement in glucose metabolism res ulted from increased sensitivity to insulin. CONCLUSIONS- These findin gs suggest that metformin treatment in obese, nondiabetic, hypertensiv e women produces a more favorable cardiovascular risk profile.