A cheap drug commonly given to patients with type 2 diabetes could bring new hope for millions living with heart and circulatory disease.

Two separate studies found metformin provided promising results when given to patients with high blood pressure-induced heart damage and aortic stenosis, both of which can cause heart failure.

One trial, funded by the British Heart Foundation, found metformin could significantly reverse harmful thickening of the left ventricle – the heart’s main pumping chamber. It also helped reduce blood pressure and lowered bodyweight in heart attack patients.

The other looked at diabetic patients with aortic stenosis and found those treated with metformin were less likely to die from heart attack, stroke or heart failure than those on other diabetes treatment.

The findings could help save the NHS up to £2bn that would normally be spent on researching and developing a new drug capable of producing similar results.

It also brings hope that patients could receive life-changing medication faster - developing a new drug from discovery to approval for use in patients can take up to 12 years.

The two studies into metformin were led by researchers at Dundee University and are due to be presented today (MONDAY) at the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) Conference in Manchester.

Researchers now believe metformin helps patients by tackling insulin resistance and inflammation, which then leads to a reduction in the size of the left ventricle.

Dr Ify Mordi, a Clinical Lecturer in Cardiology at Dundee University, who co-led the research, said: “Metformin is emerging as a serious prospect for the treatment of some forms of heart and circulatory disease.

“We know from our previous research that it can reduce inflammation, which is understood to be a major player in the development of heart disease. This new research shows that metformin could potentially become a new treatment option for patients with aortic stenosis and thickening of the left ventricle.

“We need to undertake bigger studies to confirm our findings, but if successful this could offer hope for thousands of patients across Scotland and the UK.”

Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “These studies provide real hope that metformin might help to reduce deaths from heart and circulatory diseases, which currently claim thousands of lives every year.”