The active ingredient of the drug Siofor® is called metformin and belongs to the group of oral antidiabetics. Siofor® is used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus type 2, formerly known as “adult-onset diabetes”. Today, type 2 diabetes mellitus can also occur at an earlier age. It is prescribed by a physician when dietary measures and physical activity alone cannot cause a reduction in blood sugar levels, or only a very slight reduction. It is necessary to lower the elevated blood sugar level again in the long term to reduce the risk of resulting secondary diseases.
Pharmaceutical form and dosage
Siofor® can be taken as a single therapy or in combination with other antidiabetics such as sulfonylureas or insulin. It is used for adults as well as for children and adolescents from the age of 10. Siofor® is available in pharmacies in tablet form and should be taken unchewed during or after meals.
It is important for the application that one should start with a creeping dosage. For adults, the initial guideline is to take 500 or 850 mg of metformin hydrochloride once or twice a day. After about two weeks, the dosage should be adjusted depending on blood glucose readings.
The maximum daily dose is 3 grams. Elderly patients often suffer from impaired kidney function, so that the dosage of Siofor® in these patients must be adjusted to the function of the kidney. The initial dose of Siofor® for children and adolescents is no different from the initial dose for adults. However, the maximum dose for children is only 2 grams per day and not 3 grams as for adults.
Mode of action
Siofor® is a drug with a blood sugar-lowering effect, and probably three different mechanisms play a role here. First, it leads to a reduced absorption of glucose in the gastrointestinal tract. Secondly, it improves the sensitivity to insulin in the muscles.
Through this increase, the glucose can be better absorbed and metabolized in the cells. And finally, the intake of Siofor® (metformin) leads to an inhibition of the liver‘s own glucose production. These three different mechanisms together ultimately lead to a reduction in blood sugar levels.
