Metformin-based treatment for obesity-related hypertension: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Journal of Hypertension,
Clinical Article
He H et al. – Metformin has no effect on blood pressure and blood glucose levels, but it does reduce total cholesterol, abdominal obesity and C–reactive protein levels in obese hypertensive patients without diabetes.
Methods- A randomized, double–blind, placebo–controlled factorial trial was conducted in 360 obese hypertensive patients without diabetes in Chongqing, China.
- After a 1–2–week run–in period, patients were randomly assigned to metformin (500mg once per day) or placebo, as well as to an antihypertensive medication.
- Change in blood pressure, obesity measurements and metabolic profile were assessed at 24 weeks.
- The 180 participants randomized to metformin and 180 randomized to placebo were similar at baseline.
- At 24 weeks, metformin compared with placebo did not have significant effects on blood pressure, blood glucose, high–density or low–density lipoprotein cholesterol, but it did reduce total serum cholesterol (0.27mmol/l, P=0.038).
- Metformin also significantly reduced weight (–0.7kg, P=0.006), BMI (–0.2kg/m2, P=0.024), waist circumference (–0.9cm, P=0.008), and both subcutaneous (–6.1cm2, P=0.043) and visceral adiposity (–5.4cm2, P=0.028) as measured by computed tomography, and lowered serum high–sensitivity C–reactive protein levels (–0.6mg/dl, P<0.001).
- There was no significant difference in adverse events (P=0.785).
