Metformin preserves cardiac function and improves survival after transverse aortic constriction of rats exposed to high fat diet

Background: A high fat diet may induce a diabetic phenotype. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with insulin resistance (IR) and both conditions have been causally connected to heart failure (HF). It is not known whether treatment of DM and IR may prevent or decelerate this development. Metformin is an anti-diabetic medication which is frequently used in patients with DM and which is currently still contraindicated in HF. However, metformin is known to improve insulin sensitivity and it is speculated that it may prevent the development of HF.