Hypoglycaemia followed by lactic acidosis in a diabetic patient on metformin

A 71‐year‐old woman with a nine‐year history of type 2 diabetes was admitted with hypoglycaemia, acute renal failure, and lactic acidosis. She was treated with fluids and antibiotics for presumed infection, and metformin was discontinued.

Metformin‐associated lactic acidosis is a rare consequence of metformin therapy and, as in this case report, there are often other factors contributing to the lactic acidosis. Copyright ©2009 John Wiley & Sons.