Invokana (canagliflozin) is a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. This is a newer class of medication that was first put on the market in March 2013 by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. The purpose of this medication is to lower blood sugar (which is often referred to as A1C). Invokana and other SGLT2 inhibitors work by allowing excess glucose in the blood to exit the body through urination.29.1 million people in the United States have diabetes and 1.4 million new cases of are being diagnosed every year. Type 2 diabetes is on the rise and the FDA reported that between October 2014 and September 2015, doctors wrote approximately 1.5 million prescriptions for Invokana or Farxiga.Invokana works to help type 2 diabetes by causing the kidneys to dump the excess glucose into urine instead of redistributing it into the bloodstream therefore causing blood sugar levels to decrease. Traditional diabetic medications focus on the pancreas and insulin production while SGLT2 inhibitors work in the kidneys and with glucose levels.
The FDA has posted several Safety Alerts as more and more cases are being reported of injuries that have been tied to taking Invokana.
- The FDA warned that acute kidney injuries are now being reported for patients who used Invokana. “From March 2013, when canagliflozin was approved, to October 2015, FDA received reports of 101 confirmable cases of acute kidney injury, some requiring hospitalization and dialysis, with canagliflozin or dapagliflozin use.”
One clinical study found that 7 out of every 1,000 patients treated with 100 mg daily of canagliflozin, 5 out of every 1,000 patients treated with 300 mg daily of canagliflozin and only 3 out of every 1,000 patients treated with placebo suffered from an amputation. Diabetes causes patients to be at a higher risk for infection, hardens arteries, damages nerves in the feet, and could cause poor circulation in the lower legs. Invokana seems to exacerbate these health issues.
