Cardiovascular Protection by Metformin: Latest Advances in Basic and Clinical Research

Abstract

Background: Metformin is among the most frequently prescribed antidiabetic drugs worldwide and remains the first-line therapy for type 2 diabetes due to its well-established glucose-lowering efficacy and favorable safety profile.

Summary: Studies over the past decades show that metformin also exerts many other beneficial effects independent of its glucose-lowering effect both in experimental models and human subjects. Among them, the most notable is its cardiovascular protective effect. In this review, we discuss the latest cutting-edge research findings on metformin's cardiovascular protection from both preclinical studies and randomized clinical trials. We focus on describing novel basic research discoveries reported in influential journals and discussing their implications in the context of latest clinical trial findings related to common cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, including atherosclerosis and dyslipidemia, myocardial injury, and heart failure.

Key messages: While substantial preclinical and clinical evidence suggests metformin as a potential cardiovascular protectant, large-scale randomized controlled trials are warranted to establish its clinical efficacy in treating patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and heart failure.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis; Cardiovascular protection; Heart failure; Metformin; Myocardial injury.