METRIS-HF-DZHK18

Effect of Metformin in insulin resistant patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (METRIS-HF-DZHK18)

Around 70 percent of patients with heart failure suffer from insulin resistance. If cells are insulin-resistant, their energy metabolism is disturbed. Sugar, but also fats, are no longer well absorbed and utilized. The heart muscle cells are also affected. With the METRIS-HF-DZHK18 study, the researchers aim to find out whether the efficiency of the heart in heart failure patients can be increased again through improved energy metabolism. Patients with heart failure receive the drug Metformin for 24 weeks, which improves the insulin sensitivity of the cells and thus their ability to absorb sugar and extract energy from it.

Compared to conventional approaches to heart failure therapy, the researchers use Metformin to directly target the energy metabolism of heart muscle cells before a weakened pump function occurs. They improve the energy metabolism of the heart muscle cells and hope that with the increased energy supply the capacity of the cells to contract and pump increases again. With the treatment of insulin resistance, a mechanism for improving the energy efficiency of heart muscle cells with a well-established drug is being investigated for the first time.

The effect of metformin is measured at several levels: 1. improved cardiac function using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 2. examination of various metabolic aspects, 3. effect of Metformin on cardiac muscle and on fat and sugar metabolism, 4. measurement of patient performance using a 6-minute walk test and physical examinations and 5. assessment of quality of life.

If it becomes apparent that Metformin improves the functioning of the heart and thus the symptoms in heart failure patients, this will open up completely new therapeutic options for the disease.

Please use the following link to get to the website of the study https://metris-hf.dzhk.de/.

Publications

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Principal Investigators

Principal Investigator: Wolfram Döhner (Berlin), Co-PI: Burkert Pieske, Tim Friede (Göttingen)

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