Q: I am 44 years old male and want to ask that do I need to discontinue metformin a day prior to undergoing iodinated contrast studies.

A:Radiological studies involving the use of intravascular iodinated contrast material can lead to acute alteration of renal function that can lead to lactic acidosis if metformin is currently being used. Hence metformin should be stopped at the time of the study and not recommended for 48 hours after the study and taken only after renal function has been re-evaluated and found to be normal.