A recent study from Stanford University and other institutions has found that the commonly used diabetes drug metformin may help reduce the risk of delirium and lower the chance of death over time in people with type 2 diabetes. This discovery could offer new hope for older adults managing both diabetes and age-related health issues.
Delirium is a sudden and serious change in mental function. It causes confusion, disorganized thinking, and a lack of awareness of surroundings. It often develops quickly—over hours or days—and is more common in older people or those who are already ill.
Delirium can be triggered by infections, surgery, certain medications, or underlying medical conditions. It is linked to longer hospital stays, poorer recovery, and higher chances of death.
Metformin is a drug widely prescribed to help control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. In recent years, researchers have also noticed that metformin might have other health benefits.
Some studies suggest that it may protect the brain, reduce the risk of dementia, and help people live longer. This new study looked at whether metformin could also help prevent delirium and reduce the risk of dying over the course of three years.
In the study, researchers analyzed health data from 1,404 people. Among them, 506 had type 2 diabetes. These diabetic participants were divided into two groups: 242 who had never used metformin and 264 who had used metformin in the past. The researchers then looked at how often each group developed delirium and how many people died over the next three years.
They found that delirium occurred in 36% of people with diabetes who had not taken metformin. In contrast, only 29.2% of those who had used metformin experienced delirium.
This suggests that metformin may help protect the brain and reduce the risk of this dangerous mental state. Even after adjusting for other health differences between the groups, metformin use still appeared to lower the risk of delirium.
The study also looked at how many people died within three years. People with diabetes who had not taken metformin were more likely to die during that time compared to those who had used the drug. After taking into account factors such as age, overall health, and other medications, the researchers found that metformin was still linked to a lower risk of death.
The research team, led by Dr. Takehiko Yamanashi, concluded that a history of metformin use may offer protection not just from high blood sugar, but also from delirium and early death. The study was published in the journal Aging.
While more research is needed to confirm these findings, this study adds to the growing body of evidence that metformin might offer benefits beyond diabetes management.
For people with type 2 diabetes, especially older adults at risk of mental confusion or other serious health outcomes, metformin could provide extra protection. However, any changes to medication should always be discussed with a doctor.
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