What Is Glucophage Used For?

Glucophage Drug Info

Glucophage as Part of Diabetes Treatment

The main goal of any diabetes treatment is to lower your blood sugar levels (as measured by your hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c]) enough to reduce your risk for developing problems related to diabetes (see Diabetes Complications).

Any type 2 diabetes treatment begins with lifestyle changes (such as weight loss, a diabetic diet, and exercise). If lifestyle changes alone are not effective at managing diabetes, diabetes medications, such as Glucophage, may be necessary.

(To learn about controlling diabetes through lifestyle choices, click on any of the links below:

Diabetic Diet
Diabetes and Exercise.)

Glucophage Use in Children

Glucophage is approved for use in children who are at least 10 years old. The long-acting form, Glucophage XR, is approved for use in individuals who are age 17 or older. Talk to your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of using Glucophage for type 2 diabetes in children.

Off-Label Glucophage Uses

On occasion, your healthcare provider may recommend Glucophage for something other than the condition discussed above. This is called an "off-label" use. At this time, Glucophage has a few off-label uses, including:

Treatment of gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)
Treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome (see PCOS and Metformin)
Treatment of HIV lipodystrophy, a condition involving abnormal fatty areas of the body in people who have HIV or AIDS.

Pages:

Previous 1 2