Empagliflozin

Empagliflozin is a prescription medication used to treat type 2 diabetes in adults.

Empagliflozin is a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. It works by stopping the reabsorption of glucose by the kidney, increasing glucose excretion from the body, and lowering blood sugar levels.

This medication comes in tablet form and is taken once daily, in the morning, with or without food.

A common side effect of empagliflozin is urinary tract infections.

Empagliflozin is a prescription medication used to treat type 2 diabetes in adults.

Empagliflozin is a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. It works by stopping the reabsorption of glucose by the kidney, increasing glucose excretion from the body, and lowering blood sugar levels.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Empagliflozin may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Jardiance

Serious side effects have been reported with empagliflozin. See the “Empagliflozin Precautions” section.

A common side effect of empagliflozin is urinary tract infections.

This is not a complete list of empagliflozin side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Serious side effects have been reported with empagliflozin including the following:

• dehydration. Empagliflozin can cause some people to have dehydration (the loss of body water and salt). Dehydration may cause you to feel dizzy, faint, light-headed, or weak, especially when you stand up (orthostatic hypotension). You may be at higher risk of dehydration if you:
  • have low blood pressure
  • take medicines to lower your blood pressure, including diuretics (water pill)
  • are on low sodium (salt) diet
  • have kidney problems
  • are 65 years of age or older

• impaired renal function especially in people 75 years of age or older and people who already have kidney problems
• low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). If you take empagliflozin with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar, such as a sulfonylurea or insulin, your risk of getting low blood sugar is higher. The dose of your sulfonylurea medicine or insulin may need to be lowered while you take empagliflozin. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include:
  • headache
  • drowsiness
  • weakness
  • dizziness
  • confusion
  • irritability
  • hunger
  • fast heart beat
  • sweating
  • shaking or feeling jittery
• vaginal yeast infections. Women who take empagliflozin may get vaginal yeast infections. Symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection include:
  • vaginal odor
  • white or yellowish vaginal discharge (discharge may be lumpy or look like cottage cheese)
  • vaginal itching
• yeast infection of the penis (balanitis or balanoposthitis). Men who take empagliflozin may get a yeast infection of the skin around the penis. Certain men who are not circumcised may have swelling of the penis that makes it difficult to pull back the skin around the tip of the penis. Other symptoms of yeast infection of the penis include:
  • redness, itching, or swelling of the penis
  • rash of the penis
  • foul smelling discharge from the penis
  • pain in the skin around penis

• increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol

Do not take empagliflozin if you:

• are allergic to empagliflozin or to any of its ingredients
• have severe renal impairment or end-stage renal disease or if you receive dialysis

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of empagliflozin, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking empagliflozin, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to empagliflozin or to any of its ingredients
• have kidney problems
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Empagliflozin falls into category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if empagliflozin crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using empagliflozin.

Take empagliflozin exactly as prescribed.

This medication comes in tablet form and is taken once daily, in the morning, with or without food.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of empagliflozin at the same time.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication

The recommended dose empagliflozin for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults is 10 mg once daily, in the morning. The dose may be increased to 25 mg once daily, based on patient tolerance and response.

If you take too much empagliflozin, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

• Store empagliflozin tablets at room temperature.
• Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.