Case Report

A patient presenting with symptomatic hypomagnesemia caused by metformin-induced diarrhoea: a case report

Anders Svare

• Correspondence: Anders Svare anders.svare@hnt.no

Author Affiliations

Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7489 Trondheim, Norway

Department of Medicine, Namsos Hospital, N-7800 Namsos, Norway

Cases Journal 2009, 2:156 doi:10.1186/1757-1626-2-156

Published: 16 October 2009

Abstract

Introduction

Metformin is licensed for treatment of diabetes mellitus type 2. This report describes a patient on metformin who developed diarrhoea and symptomatic hypomagnesemia. To the author's knowledge, this is the first report on metformin-induced symptomatic hypomagnesemia.

Case presentation

The patient was a 57-year old Caucasian male with diabetes mellitus type 2. He had been on metformin for nine years and presented with chronic diarrhoea, spasms, paresthesias, pain, and malaise. Blood tests revealed hypomagnesemia, hypocalcemia, and hypokalemia.

Conclusion

Drugs associated with diarrhoea may induce malabsorption. If malabsorption is substantial it may result in further symptoms of clinical importance. In some cases potentially life-threatening conditions may occur.