Did the doctor give you Jardiance (Empagliflozin)? Can we learn more about this medication?

Has your doctor prescribed you Empagliflozin, commonly known by the brand name Jardiance? If so, you probably have a lot of questions about this medication. You're probably wondering things like, "What exactly does this do?", "Is it safe?", "What side effects can it cause?" Don't worry, it's normal. So let's talk today and find answers to all these questions you have in mind.

What is Empagliflozin (Jardiance)?

Simply put, Empagliflozin is a medication that doctors often prescribe to help control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. It comes as a pill that you take once a day. Sometimes you may be prescribed it along with another diabetes medication. But remember, this is not a medication for type 1 diabetes.

This drug belongs to a class of drugs called `sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors.` It's a complicated name, isn't it? But its mechanism of action is very simple. This drug directly targets a special protein called SGLT2 found in our kidneys.

How does this medicine work for diabetes?

This works in a very interesting way. What this medicine does is it helps your body get rid of the extra sugar that has accumulated in your body through your urine. Normally, when our kidneys clean the blood, the sugar in it is reabsorbed back into the body. But what Empagliflozin does is it stops that extra sugar from being reabsorbed back into the body. So the excess sugar is easily excreted from the body through your urine.

But it must also be said that to get the maximum results from this medicine, it is essential to use it in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise .

How does this help with heart failure?

Yes, this drug is approved to treat heart failure, whether you have diabetes or not. It is believed that this drug makes it easier for the heart to pump blood throughout the body.

Scientists are still not 100% sure how exactly SGLT2 inhibitors help heart disease. But one major theory is that they improve kidney health. Think about it, when the kidneys aren't working properly, the heart has to work harder to pump blood to them. So helping the kidneys work also reduces the workload on the heart.

People with type 2 diabetes are at higher risk of heart attacks and other heart problems. Therefore, doctors prescribe this medication to reduce the risk of death from a heart attack or stroke in people who have both diabetes and heart disease.

Can I take Empagliflozin with Metformin?

Yes, it is generally considered safe to take Metformin and Empagliflozin together. It is very common to prescribe Empagliflozin in addition to Metformin, which is a mainstay of diabetes treatment. Sometimes, your doctor may also prescribe you a combination pill, such as `Synjardy`, which is a combination of these two medications.

But here's something very important . If you're already taking a medication that can lower your blood sugar too much, such as insulin or a sulfonylurea, your doctor may need to lower your dose of that medication when you start taking Empagliflozin. Otherwise, your blood sugar could drop too low.

What are the side effects of Empagliflozin?

Like any medicine, Empagliflozin can cause some side effects. But most of the time, these are not serious. Let's take a look at what they are.

What is the best time to take the medicine?

Your doctor will give you the best advice on this. But doctors usually recommend taking this pill in the morning . It is best to take it at the same time every day if possible. You can take it before or after meals.

If you forget to take your pill one day, take it as soon as you remember. But if it is almost time for your next pill, skip the missed pill and take the next pill at the scheduled time. Never take two doses at once. Also, do not stop taking your pill without talking to your doctor, even if you feel better.

Does this medicine help you lose weight?

Empagliflozin is not a direct weight loss drug. But you may lose some weight when taking it. The reason for this is that, as I mentioned earlier, when the extra sugar is excreted in the urine, the calories in that sugar are also excreted from the body.

Research has shown that people who took this drug for 24 weeks lost an average of about 3% of their body weight. Simply put, if someone weighs about 100 kilos, they can see a loss of about 3 kilos.