New research has found that a cheap drug routinely used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes could help millions of people living with heart and circulatory disease.

Led by Dundee University researchers, two studies involving metformin have given promising results for patients with high blood pressure-induced damage and a condition called aortic stenosis, which causes heart failure.

The trial found that metformin could reverse harmful thickening of the left ventricle - the heart's main pumping chamber.

It also helped to bring down high blood pressure and reduce bodyweight in patients who had a heart attack.

Dr Ify Mordi, clinical lecturer in cardiology at the University of Dundee, 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."

The research was funded by the British Heart Foundation.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, the charity's associate medical director, 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.

"Repurposing of drugs like metformin is a great example of how scientists can harness the power of medications which have more than one target in the body."