Empagliflozin
Description
Empagliflozin is an antidiabetic medicine. It is used alone or in combination with other medicines in the treatment of type II diabetes (abnormal increase in the blood sugar levels when your body cannot use the insulin it makes effectively to move sugar from the blood into the cells) in adults. It is also used to lower the risk of heart attack and hospitalization due to heart failure (inability of the heart to pump an adequate amount of blood) in adults with type II diabetes mellitus. This medicine works by removing excess sugar from the blood through the urine.
Empagliflozin shows side effects such as vaginal itching or discharge, infection in the bladder, frequent urination, increased thirst, low blood sugar levels, etc. Consult your doctor if these side effects persist or worsen.
Empagliflozin can be taken with food or without food. Take the medication at the same time every day for ease of remembering. Do not discontinue the medication without consulting your doctor, as it can worsen your condition. Follow the instructions given by your doctor about the dose and duration of treatment. Avoid the consumption of alcohol during treatment with this medicine as it may affect your blood sugar levels.
Empagliflozin is not recommended if you are allergic to it or if you have severe kidney conditions. It should be used with caution if you have liver problems, bladder or genital infection, hypotension (abnormally low blood pressure), or ketoacidosis (an excessive amount of blood acids called ketones in the blood). Inform your doctor if you are taking any other medications as they may interact with Empagliflozin and alter the effects of either medicine or cause undesired effects.
Empagliflozin is not recommended for use in children under 18 years of age as there is a lack of safety and efficacy data. Consult your doctor before taking this medicine if you are pregnant or are breastfeeding. It should be taken with caution in the elderly due to the increased risk of side effects.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Empagliflozin
- Bladder pain
- Bloody or cloudy urine
- Difficult or painful urination
- Lower back pain
- Blurred vision
- Increased urination
- Fast heartbeat
- Sweating
- Vaginal infection
- Low blood sugar levels
- Urinary tract infection
Uses of Empagliflozin
What is it prescribed for?
- Type II Diabetes Mellitus
- Cardiovascular risk reduction and heart failure
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionEmpagliflozin starts to show its effect in 30-60 minutes after intake.
- Duration of effectThe amount of time for which Empagliflozin remains active in the body is not clinically established.
- Safe with alcohol?Consumption of alcohol is not recommended during treatment with Empagliflozin due to the increased risk of alteration in blood sugar levels.
- Is it habit forming?No habit-forming tendencies were reported for Empagliflozin.
- Usage in pregnancy?Empagliflozin is not recommended for use during pregnancy as it may cause harm to the developing foetus. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant. Your doctor may weigh the benefits and potential risks before prescribing this medicine to you.
- Usage while breast-feeding?It is unknown if Empagliflozin passes into breast milk. Hence consult your doctor before taking this medicine if you are breastfeeding.
Allergy
Avoid taking Empagliflozin 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 disease
Empagliflozin is not recommended if you have severe kidney conditions and are undergoing dialysis (a procedure to remove waste products and excess fluid by filtering your blood when your kidneys stop functioning properly). This medicine may further worsen your condition.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Empagliflozin is not recommended for use during pregnancy as it may cause harm to the developing foetus. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant. Your doctor may weigh the benefits and potential risks before prescribing this medicine to you.
Breast-feeding
It is unknown if Empagliflozin passes into breast milk. Hence consult your doctor before taking this medicine if you are breastfeeding.
General warnings
Ketoacidosis
Ketoacidosis is a complication of diabetes that causes increased levels of acids called ketones in the blood. Empagliflozin should be used with extreme caution as it may increase the risk of this condition. Follow all the instructions given by your doctor.
Urosepsis or bladder infection
Urosepsis is a condition in which untreated urinary infection spreads to your kidney. Empagliflozin should be used with extreme caution in such cases, as it may increase the risk of urinary tract infections and further worsen your condition. Follow all the instructions given by your doctor.
Hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose levels)
Empagliflozin should be used with caution if you have hypoglycaemia (abnormally low blood sugar levels), as it can worsen your condition. Follow all the instructions given by your doctor.
Use in the elderly
Empagliflozin should be used with caution if you are 65 years of age or above due to the increased risk of undesired effects.
Use in children
Empagliflozin is not recommended for use in children below 18 years of age due to the lack of safety and efficacy data.
Missed Dose
Do not miss the scheduled dose of Empagliflozin. In case you miss a dose, take the medicine as soon as possible. However, skip the missed dose if it is already time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up for the missed dose.
Overdose
Do not take more than the recommended dose of Empagliflozin. Seek emergency medical treatment in case of an overdose.
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
Consumption of alcohol is not recommended during treatment with Empagliflozin due to the increased risk of alteration in blood sugar levels.
Interaction with Medicine
Acetazolamide
Amlodipine
Chlorthalidone
Gatifloxacin
Disease interactions
Hypotension
Empagliflozin should be used with caution as it may cause hypotension (low blood pressure), especially in the elderly, or if you have impaired kidney function, low blood pressure, or are using diuretics (water pills).
Genital infection
Genital mycotic infection is a fungal infection in the genital area (private parts). Empagliflozin may increase the risk of genital mycotic infection and should be used with caution if you have a history of such conditions.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Empagliflozin can be taken with or without food. Do not break, crush, and chew the tablet. Take this medicine exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
Take the medicine at the same time every day for the ease of remembering.
Do not change the dose or duration of use without consulting your doctor, as it may worsen your condition or lead to other complications.
Monitor your blood sugar levels regularly. Do a regular follow-up visit so that your doctor can monitor your condition.
Adapt some lifestyle changes such as eating a low-sugar and low-salt diet and indulging in physical activities.
Always carry a sugar candy with you to counteract the unexpected lowering of blood sugar levels.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Empagliflozin works by removing excess sugar from the blood through the urine.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
SGLT-2 inhibitors, Antidiabetic agents
Schedule
Schedule H
Accessdata.fda.gov. 2022. [online] Available at: [Accessed 19 July 2022].
nhs.uk. 2022. Empagliflozin: medicine used to treat type 2 diabetes. [online] Available at: [Accessed 19 July 2022].
Information on this page was last updated on 5 Aug 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.