Canagliflozin
Description
Canagliflozin is an antidiabetic medicine. It is used alone or in combination with other medicines to treat type 2 diabetes (high blood sugar levels when your body cannot make, or use the insulin it makes, effectively to move sugar from the blood into the cells). This medicine works by eliminating the excess sugar from your body.
Canagliflozin has some side effects like increased thirst, constipation, dry mouth, etc. Consult your doctor if these side effects bother you for a longer time or become severe.
Canagliflozin is usually taken once a day before the first meal of your day. Avoid taking more than the recommended dose as it may increase the risk of undesired effects. Your doctor will suggest the dose and duration of treatment depending on the severity of your condition. Take it every day at the same time for the ease of remembering. Avoid discontinuing this medicine without consulting your doctor, as it can lead to an increased risk of high blood sugar levels and related complications.
Canagliflozin is not recommended for use if you are allergic to it. Inform your doctor if you have liver or kidney problems or other health conditions. Also, inform your doctor about all your ongoing medications to avoid undesired effects.
Canagliflozin is not recommended for use in children below 18 years of age as the safety and efficacy data are not clinically established. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or are breastfeeding before taking this medicine.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Canagliflozin
- Bladder pain
- Increased thirst
- Loss of appetite
- Difficult or painful urination
- Nausea
- Weight gain
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
- Trouble breathing
- Swelling of face, fingers and feet.
- Dry mouth
Uses of Canagliflozin
What is it prescribed for?
- Type II Diabetes Mellitus
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe amount of time required for Canagliflozin to show its action is not clinically established.
- Duration of effectThe effect of Canagliflozin lasts for approximately 24 hours.
- Safe with alcohol?Avoid consuming alcohol during treatment with Canagliflozin as it may alter the blood sugar levels.
- Is it habit forming?No habit-forming tendencies were reported for Canagliflozin.
- Usage in pregnancy?Canagliflozin is not recommended for use in pregnancy as it may harm your developing foetus. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant.
- Usage while breast-feeding?Canagliflozin is not recommended for use while breastfeeding unless necessary. Hence, consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Allergy
Avoid taking Canagliflozin if you are allergic to it. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms such as skin rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, breathing difficulty, etc.
Severe kidney impairment
Canagliflozin is not recommended for use if you have severe kidney problems due to the increased risk of worsening your condition.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Canagliflozin is not recommended for use in pregnancy as it may harm your developing foetus. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant.
Breast-feeding
Canagliflozin is not recommended for use while breastfeeding unless necessary. Hence, consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
General warnings
Amputation
Canagliflozin should be used with caution as it may increase the risk of lower leg amputation (removal of a part, or multiple parts, of the leg or feet). The risk is higher if you have a history of leg amputation, foot ulcer, nerve damage, circulatory (blood flow), and heart problem.
Use in Children
Canagliflozin is not recommended for use in children less than 18 years of age as the safety and efficacy data are not clinically established.
Driving and operating machines
Low blood sugar levels may occur with the use of Canagliflozin, which may cause dizziness. Hence, avoid driving vehicles or operating machines until you know how this medicine affects you.
Genital mycotic infections
Genital mycotic infection is a fungal infection in the genital area (private parts). Canagliflozin should be used with caution if you have genital mycotic infections, as it may further worsen your condition.
Urinary tract infections and Urosepsis
Canagliflozin should be used with extreme caution as it may increase the risk of urinary tract infections and urosepsis (a condition in which untreated urinary infection spreads to your kidney).
Ketoacidosis
Ketoacidosis is a complication of diabetes that causes increased levels of acids in the blood. Canagliflozin should be used with extreme caution as it may increase the risk of this condition. If your experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, unusual tiredness, excess thirst, loss of appetite, etc., consult your doctor immediately.
Hypoglycaemia
Hypoglycaemia is a condition of very low blood sugar levels. Canagliflozin may cause hypoglycaemia on concomitant use with insulin or other antidiabetic medicines such as Sulfonylureas. Hence, your doctor may suggest dose adjustment to use both medications safely.
Missed Dose
Take the missed dose of Canagliflozin as soon as you remember. However, skip the missed dose if it is time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up for the missed dose.
Overdose
Never take more than the recommended dose. Seek emergency medical treatment in case of an overdose with Canagliflozin.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
N/A
Instructions
Avoid consuming alcohol during treatment with Canagliflozin as it may alter the blood sugar levels.
Interaction with Medicine
Ciprofloxacin
Acetazolamide
Amlodipine
Digoxin
Carbamazepine
Gatifloxacin
Disease interactions
Kidney dysfunction
Canagliflozin should be used with caution if you have kidney problems as it may further worsen your condition. Your doctor may suggest tests to monitor your kidney function and recommend dose adjustments based on your clinical condition.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take Canagliflozin with or without food as prescribed by your doctor. Do not break, chew, or crush the tablet in your mouth. Avoid taking more or less than the prescribed dose.
Regular monitor your blood sugar during treatment with this medicine to keep track of your blood sugar levels.
Eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly to get maximum benefits from the treatment.
Always carry a sugar candy with you to counteract the unexpected lowering of blood sugar levels.
Do not change the dose or stop taking this medicine without consulting your doctor, as it may worsen your condition.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Canagliflozin helps in removing excess sugar from the body through urine. Thus it helps to control high blood sugar levels.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
SGLT-2 inhibitors, Antidiabetic agents
Schedule
Schedule H
Drugs, H., 2021. Canagliflozin: MedlinePlus Drug Information. [online] Medlineplus.gov. Available at: < [Accessed 18 October 2021].
Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. Canagliflozin. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 18 October 2021].
Medicines.org.uk. 2021. Invokana 100 mg film-coated tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc). [online] Available at: < [Accessed 18 October 2021].
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2021. FDA confirms risk of leg and foot amputations with the diabetes. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 18 October 2021].
Information on this page was last updated on 8 Mar 2022
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.