Glucophage 500 mg (Metformin Hydrochloride)

Adult dose

For adults, take 500mg 2 to 3 times a day with meals. Dosage increases should be made gradually by 500mg each week, with a maximum daily dose up to 2550mg. Up to 2000mg, it is usually divided and administered twice daily in the morning and evening. For doses exceeding 2000mg, it should be administered three times daily with meals.

Child dose

For children aged 10 and older and adolescents, administer 500mg once a day during or after meals. After one week, measure blood sugar levels to adjust the dosage, with a maximum daily dose of 2000mg.

This medication can cause severe lactic acidosis or hypoglycemia, so it should be used with great caution. It should not be administered to patients with moderate to severe renal impairment or those in acute situations such as dehydration, severe infections, or heart disease. Especially, the use of this drug should be discontinued before and after examinations utilizing iodinated contrast media, and it should be resumed only after reevaluating kidney function. Patients with hypersensitivity to this drug, as well as those with type 1 diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis, severe infections, or severe trauma should avoid its use. If undergoing surgery, it should be temporarily discontinued 48 hours before the procedure, and it can be restarted only after confirming normal kidney function. Caution is also needed in patients with malnutrition, starvation, weakness, liver dysfunction, pulmonary dysfunction, or excessive alcohol consumption. During treatment with this drug, irregular meals or intense exercise, as well as the intake of interacting medications may pose risks of lactic acidosis and hypoglycemia, so careful management is necessary. Although lactic acidosis is very rare, it can be a fatal side effect. If symptoms such as malaise, muscle pain, shortness of breath, weakness, or abdominal pain appear, a doctor should be notified immediately. Gastrointestinal symptoms commonly include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal bloating, usually transient at first. Since this drug is excreted through the kidneys, it is necessary to regularly monitor kidney function and adjust the dose or discontinue treatment if abnormalities are found. Alcohol can affect the lactate metabolism of this drug and increase the risk of lactic acidosis, so excessive drinking should be avoided. There is a risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, so it is advisable to regularly check blood vitamin B12 levels. Hypoglycemia is rare when used alone but can occur if combined with other hypoglycemic agents or in cases of poor nutritional status, so caution is warranted. During pregnancy, this drug can cross the placenta and may affect fetal growth, therefore it should not be used if there is a risk of placental insufficiency or preeclampsia. While breastfeeding, this medication is secreted into breast milk and may affect newborns; therefore, the decision regarding breastfeeding and drug therapy should be made carefully. In elderly patients, renal function decline is common, so dosage adjustments and frequent monitoring of kidney function are required. There are many drug interactions, so when taking other medications, blood sugar and kidney function should be closely monitored. In case of overdose, hypoglycemia is rare, but there may be a risk of lactic acidosis, and appropriate measures such as hemodialysis may be required. This drug helps in controlling blood sugar without causing weight gain, and if used in children or adolescents, growth and development should be closely monitored. Regular blood sugar, kidney function, blood tests, and symptom monitoring should always be thoroughly conducted while taking this medication to ensure safe treatment.

Serious side effects

• Lactic acidosis: malaise, muscle pain, shortness of breath, weakness, abdominal pain, lowered body temperature, hypotension, arrhythmias
• Severe allergic reactions: hives, severe swelling (edema)
• Liver abnormalities (jaundice): yellowing of the skin or eyes
• Severe edema or urinary abnormalities: markedly reduced urine output, severe generalized swelling

Mild side effects

• Gastrointestinal symptoms: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, loss of appetite, indigestion, constipation, abdominal pain
• Metallic taste discomfort
• Rashes
• Anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia
• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Liver dysfunction
• Hypoglycemia

This medication should be stored in a tightly sealed container to protect it from air and moisture. It is important to maintain the storage temperature between 1 and 30 degrees Celsius. Proper storage will help maintain the efficacy and safety of the medication for a long time.

Appearance

White round film-coated tablet engraved with the letter 'M' on one side and the number '500' on the other side.

Package unit

90 tablets (15 tablets/PTPX6), 500 tablets/bottle