Empagliflozin

Empagliflozin, sold under the brand name Jardiance, among others, is an antidiabetic medication used to improve glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes. It is not recommended for type 1 diabetes. It is taken by mouth.

Common side effects include hyperventilation, anorexia, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, lethargy, mental status changes, hypotension, acute kidney injury, and vaginal yeast infections. Rarer but more serious side effects include a skin infection of the groin called Fournier's gangrene and a form of diabetic ketoacidosis with normal blood sugar levels. Use during pregnancy or breastfeeding is not recommended. Cautiously use empagliflozin with frequent monitoring of renal function in those with significant kidney disease, the use of empagliflozin for merely hyperglycaemia is not currently recommended given the risk of adverse events. The use of empagliflozin in patients with known cardiovascular disease may be beneficial, but risk and benefit ratio need to be considered and initiation of therapy should be individualised. It was also shown to help slow the progression of mild kidney problems.

Empagliflozin is an inhibitor of the sodium glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT-2), and works by increasing sugar loss in urine.

Empagliflozin was approved for medical use in the United States and in the European Union in 2014. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. In 2021, it was the 85th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 8 million prescriptions. It has received approval as a generic medication from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).