Abstract

A CASE REPORT ON HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTION WITH METFORMIN IN A TYPE II DIABETIC PATIENT

Saurabh Saklani*, Garima Bisht, Jatin Mehra, Sanjay Rishishwar and Poonam Rishishwar

ABSTRACT

Metformin is a biguanide derivative widely used for treatment of diabetic patients. The most common toxic effects of metformin are gastrointestinal (anorexia, nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort and diarrhoea). As with other drugs, allergic reactions can occur with metformin also, but these are very rare. Type II diabetes mellitus can be treated with mono-or combined therapy using oral antidiabetic drugs and insulin-replaced agents; however, the medication often leads to various discomforts, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation, nausea and vomiting, and hypersensitivity reactions. A case of hypersensitivity reaction with metformin was reported in adverse drug monitoring centre. A 54-year-old female, newly diagnosed case of Type II diabetes mellitus, started on Tablet Metformin 500 mg twice daily, now few days after starting the drug (tablet metformin 500 mg) developed purpuric and skin rashes lesions on her legs, arm-forearm and back. Physician was immediately stoppedthe metformin and patient was put on tablet glimepiride 2 mg. The lesions slowly started subsiding after stopping metformin.

Keywords: Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Metformin, Allergic reactions, Hypersensitivity reaction, Glimepiride.