Cardiometabolic Disease and Pulmonary Hypertension

Obesity can predispose people to develop high pressures inside their lung blood vessels, a condition called pulmonary hypertension, Pulmonary hypertension in turn, can lead to shortness of breath and other health complications such as heart failure. In this study, we seek to identify individuals at risk for the development of high pressures inside lung vessels based on BMI and dyspnea grade 1. Participants will be screened by echocardiography to estimate pulmonary pressures. Potential participants will undergo invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing with hemodynamic monitoring, in order to identify individuals with abnormal pulmonary vascular function either at rest or during exercise. Patients who have undergone clinically-indicated cardiopulmonary exercise testing and meet inclusion/exclusion criteria will also be recruited. Those with abnormal pulmonary vascular function will be randomized to receive Metformin or placebo for a total of 3 months under an IND exemption. The primary outcomes include the effect on pulmonary vascular function at rest and during exercise. Secondary outcomes include change in pulmonary artery endothelial cell phenotypes.