American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Certification Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Study for the ABIM Certification Exam. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, with hints and explanations for each. Get ready to succeed!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

At what GFR cutoff is metformin contraindicated?

The correct answer is: 30

Metformin is contraindicated in patients with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) below 30 mL/min due to the increased risk of lactic acidosis. At lower levels of renal function, the clearance of metformin is significantly reduced, leading to the potential for accumulation of the drug in the body. This accumulation can elevate the risk of lactic acidosis, a rare but serious complication characterized by the buildup of lactic acid in the body, which can be life-threatening. Therefore, a GFR of less than 30 mL/min is the crucial cutoff that mandates discontinuation of metformin therapy to ensure patient safety. Monitoring renal function is essential in patients on metformin, and adjustments in therapy should be made based on GFR values to prevent adverse outcomes.