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Overview: Jardiance is used to manage type 2 diabetes and lower the risk of certain health problems in people with heart failure or long-term kidney disease. It lowers blood sugar levels by helping your body get rid of sugar when you pee. Common side effects include yeast infections, urinary tract infections, and peeing more than usual. Contact your health care provider right away or seek medical care if you have trouble breathing, dizziness, confusion, pain or swelling in your genital area, or pee that is dark, bloody, or smells foul.

Uses

What is Jardiance used for?

Jardiance (empagliflozin) is commonly used for the following conditions.

  • To help lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes
  • To lower the risk of cardiovascular death and hospital admission in people with heart failure
  • To reduce the risk of worsening kidney function, kidney failure, hospital admission for heart failure, and cardiovascular death in certain people with chronic kidney disease
  • To reduce the the risk of cardiovascular death in people who have type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease

Learn more about Jardiance for Type 2 Diabetes.

Learn more about Jardiance for Heart Failure.

Jardiance may also be used for other conditions as determined by your health care provider.

How does Jardiance work (mechanism of action)?

Jardiance lowers blood sugar levels by helping your body get rid of sugar when you pee. 

Jardiance lowers the risk of complications from heart failure, diabetes and heart disease, and kidney problems by helping your body get rid of extra sugar, salt, and water.

How is Jardiance supplied (dosage forms)?

Brands and other names

  • Jardiance

Dosage forms and strengths

  • 10 mg oral tablets
  • 25 mg oral tablets

How should I store Jardiance?

Store Jardiance at room temperature, between 68 F and 77 F (20 C and 25 C). It can be exposed to temperatures between 59 F and 86 F (15 C and 30 C) for shorter periods of time, such as when transporting it. Store in a cool, dry place.

Side Effects

What are the most common side effects of Jardiance?

The most common side effects of Jardiance are listed below. Tell your health care provider if you have any of these side effects that bother you.

There may be other side effects of Jardiance that are not listed here. Contact your health care provider if you think you are having a side effect of a medicine. In the U.S., you can report side effects to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or by calling 800-FDA-1088 (800-332-1088). In Canada, you can report side effects to Health Canada at www.health.gc.ca/medeffect or by calling 866-234-2345.

What are the serious side effects of Jardiance?

While less common, the most serious side effects of Jardiance are described below, along with what to do if they happen.

Severe Allergic Reactions. Jardiance may cause allergic reactions, which can be serious. Stop taking Jardiance and get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction.

  • Breathing problems or wheezing
  • Racing heart
  • Fever or general ill feeling
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat
  • Trouble swallowing or throat tightness
  • Itching or skin rash
  • Bumps on the skin called hives that can be red, pink, white, or brown depending on your skin tone
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Dizziness, feeling lightheaded, or fainting
  • Stomach cramps
  • Joint pain

Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). Jardiance may cause diabetic ketoacidosis, which is a serious complication of diabetes. DKA can be life threatening. Stop taking Jardiance and get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis.

  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Stomach pain
  • Feeling very tired, woozy, or confused
  • Shortness of breath
  • Your breath smells fruity or sweet
  • Very high blood sugar levels (greater than 300 mg/dL)

Dehydration. Jardiance may cause dehydration. Dehydration may lead to low blood pressure, especially when you stand up (orthostatic hypotension), or kidney damage. Call your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms of dehydration, low blood pressure, or kidney damage.

  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Weakness or unusual tiredness
  • Confusion
  • Unsteadiness
  • Peeing less than normal
  • Swelling in your legs, ankles, and feet
  • Loss of appetite or nausea
  • Trouble catching your breath or chest pain or pressure
  • Seizures
  • Extreme thirst

Kidney Infections. Jardiance may cause pyelonephritis (a kidney infection) or urosepsis (an untreated urinary tract infection that spreads to your kidney). These are serious infections and may need to be treated in the hospital. Get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of these serious infections.

  • Dark, cloudy, or bloody pee or pee that smells bad
  • Fever and chills
  • Loss of appetite
  • Needing to pee a lot or feeling pain when you pee
  • Pain in your lower back, side, or groin
  • Upset stomach, nausea, and vomiting

Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia). Jardiance can cause low blood sugar, especially when combined with insulin or other medicines that increase your insulin levels. Low blood sugar can be serious and may lead to death. You may need a lower dose of your other diabetes medicine to reduce your risk of hypoglycemia. Do not take Jardiance and call your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms of hypoglycemia.

  • Headache
  • Crankiness or anxiety
  • Hunger
  • Dizziness or confusion
  • Blurry vision
  • Slurred speech
  • Sweating
  • Feeling jittery or shakiness
  • Fast heartbeat
  • Seizures

Necrotizing Fasciitis (Fournier’s Gangrene). Jardiance can cause necrotizing fasciitis, which is an aggressive infection of the skin and underlying tissue that causes some of the tissue to die. Necrotizing fasciitis is rare, but very serious, can lead to death, and may require surgery to treat it. Get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of this serious infection.

  • Pain, redness, tenderness, or swelling around the anus or genitals
  • Fever
  • General feeling of illness or discomfort

Amputations. People who take Jardiance may be more likely to have an amputation (for example, removal of a toe, foot, or part of the leg) than people who do not take Jardiance. Amputations seem more likely in people with diabetes, peripheral artery disease (narrowing of your blood vessels, often in your legs), diabetic foot infections, nerve damage in your legs, or who already had an amputation. Check your feet and legs regularly and contact your health care provider right away if you have sores, ulcers, or new pain or tenderness, as these may lead to the need for an amputation if not treated.

Warnings & Precautions

Who should not use Jardiance?

Allergies to Ingredients. People who are allergic to any of the following should not take Jardiance.

  • Empagliflozin
  • Jardiance
  • Any of the ingredients in the specific product dispensed

Your pharmacist can tell you all of the ingredients in Jardiance.

Kidney Problems and Type 2 Diabetes. Jardiance is not recommended for managing blood sugar levels in people with diabetes if their kidneys are not working as well as they should be. If there is a concern about the health of your kidneys, your health care provider may do tests to check if they are working well enough to take this medicine.

Kidney Problems and Chronic Kidney Disease. Jardiance is not recommended for chronic kidney disease if you have polycystic kidney disease or take or have recently taken a medicine for your kidney disease that lowers your body’s ability to fight infection, such as prednisone.

What should I know about Jardiance before using it?

Do not take Jardiance unless it has been prescribed to you by a health care provider. Take it as prescribed.

Do not share Jardiance with other people, even if they have the same condition as you. It may harm them.

Keep Jardiance out of the reach of children.

If you have diabetes, certain conditions that cause increased stress on your body, like fever, trauma (such as a car accident), infection, or surgery can change the amount of diabetes medicines you need to take to manage your diabetes. Talk to your health care provider if you have any of these conditions to decide if your medicine needs to be changed.

If you have diabetes, talk to your health care provider about how to prevent, recognize, and manage low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), high blood sugar (hyperglycemia), and diabetes-related problems.

People who are 65 years or older can be at greater risk for some side effects from Jardiance. Talk to your health care provider about your risks if you are in this age group.

People who have kidney problems can be at greater risk for some side effects from Jardiance. Talk to your health care provider about your risks if you have kidney problems.

Jardiance will cause your pee to test positive for glucose (sugar).

Your health care provider will run lab tests to see how well your kidneys are working and make sure you are not dehydrated before starting Jardiance.

What should I tell my health care provider before using Jardiance?

Tell your health care provider about all of your health conditions and any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. This will help them know if Jardiance is right for you.

In particular, make sure that you discuss any of the following.

Risk of DKA. Tell your health care provider if you have any of the following risk factors for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or had DKA in the past. Your health care provider may monitor you more closely or choose a different medicine for you.

  • Type 1 diabetes. Your health care provider may want you to monitor for ketones (acids made in your liver) if you are taking Jardiance
  • Decrease in your insulin dose
  • Serious infection
  • Low-salt diet. Your health care provider may suggest diet changes.
  • Drink alcohol often or in large amounts
  • Pancreas problems, including a history of pancreatitis or surgery on your pancreas
  • Dehydration
  • Eating or drinking less than normal
  • Vomiting or diarrhea

History of Genital Yeast Infections. Tell your health care provider if you have a history of genital (penis or vagina) yeast infections. This may make it more likely that you will have yeast infections of the vagina or penis while taking Jardiance. Your health care provider may choose a different medicine for you.

Other Current and Past Health Conditions. Tell your health care provider if you have any of the following.

  • Kidney problems
  • Liver problems
  • History of kidney or bladder infections or trouble peeing
  • Have surgery scheduled
  • Nerve damage, blood flow problems, or previous amputation

Other Medicines and Supplements. Jardiance may interact with other medicines and supplements. Before taking Jardiance, tell your health care provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. See the Interactions section for more details.

Pregnancy. Jardiance may cause harm to a fetus. Tell your health care provider if you are or plan to become pregnant. If you become pregnant, contact your health care provider right away.

Breastfeeding. It is not known if Jardiance passes into breast milk. Tell your health care provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Your health care provider will let you know if you should stop breastfeeding or stop Jardiance.

How can I get more information about Jardiance?

For more information about Jardiance, you can visit the drugmaker's website at www.jardiance.com or call them at 800-542-6257.

Interactions

Does Jardiance interact with foods or drinks?

There are no known interactions between Jardiance and foods or drinks.

Being on a low-salt diet while taking Jardiance may increase your risk of dehydration. See the Side Effects section for more details. 

Drinking too much alcohol while taking Jardiance may increase your risk of diabetic ketoacidosis. See the Side Effects section for more details. It is unknown if drinking alcohol will affect Jardiance in other ways, but alcohol may affect blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. This may interfere with the effect of Jardiance. It is best to limit the amount of alcohol you drink.

Does Jardiance interact with other medicines (drug interactions)?

Always tell your health care provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using.

In particular, make sure that you discuss if you are taking any of the following before taking Jardiance. 

  •  Lithium, which is a medicine for certain mental health conditions
  • A diuretic, also called a water pill, which is a medicine used to reduce edema (fluid retention) and blood pressure
  • Other medicines for diabetes

This may not be a complete list of medicines that can interact with Jardiance. Always check with your health care provider.

Does interact with other drugs you are taking?

Enter your medication into the WebMD interaction checker

Overdose/Missed Dose

What should I do if I accidentally use too much Jardiance?

If you or someone else has used too much Jardiance, get medical help right away, call 911, or contact a Poison Control center at 800-222-1222.

What should I do if I miss a dose of Jardiance?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and only take the next dose. Do not take double or extra doses.