During treatment initiation, the most common adverse reactions are nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and loss of appetite, which resolve spontaneously in most cases.
The following adverse reactions may occur with Metformin Hydrochloride Prolonged Release Tablets. Frequencies are defined as follows: very common >1/10; common ≥1/100, <1/10; uncommon ≥1/1,000, <1/100; rare ≥1/10,000, <1/1,000; very rare <1/10,000.
Within each frequency grouping, adverse reactions are presented in order of decreasing seriousness.
Metabolism and nutrition disorders: Very rare: Lactic acidosis.
Decrease of vitamin B12 absorption with decrease of serum levels during long-term use of metformin. Consideration of such an aetiology is recommended if a patient presents with megaloblastic anemia.
Nervous system disorders: Common: Taste disturbance.
Gastrointestinal disorders: Very common: Gastrointestinal disorders such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and loss of appetite. These undesirable effects occur most frequently during initiation of therapy and resolve spontaneously in most cases. A slow increase of the dose may also improve gastrointestinal tolerability.
Hepatobiliary disorders: Very rare: Isolated reports of liver function tests abnormalities or hepatitis resolving upon metformin discontinuation.
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders: Very rare: Skin reactions such as erythema, pruritus, urticaria.
Reporting of suspected adverse reactions: Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the national reporting system.
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