Dapagliflozin: Oral Treatment for type 2 diabetes

What is Dapagliflozin?

Dapagliflozin is a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes and is marketed under the brand names Farxiga and Forxiga, among others. Adults with some types of heart failure and chronic renal disease are also treated with it.

Dapagliflozin is used to decrease blood sugar levels in persons with type 2 diabetes together with diet, exercise, and perhaps additional drugs (condition in which blood sugar is too high because the body does not produce or use insulin normally).

When is Dapagliflozin prescribed?

• If you have type 2 diabetes and cannot take metformin, your doctor may prescribe dapagliflozin.
• If the medication you have been taking is not effectively regulating your blood sugar, using dapagliflozin together with additional diabetic medications at the same time may be necessary.
• If you have heart failure, it can assist with symptoms like fatigue and lower the likelihood of the heart becoming weaker.

When not to take dapagliflozin:

• If you have ketones (a kind of molecule) and glucose (sugar) in your urine (there are at-home testing for this).

• If you have liver or kidney disease.

• If your blood pressure is low (hypotension).

• if you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or currently breastfeeding.

• If you've had an allergic reaction to dapagliflozin or any other medicine.

How and when to take dapagliflozin

Different people will require a different dosage of dapagliflozin. Observe your doctor's instructions or the label's instructions. The following details only the typical dosages of this medication. Unless your doctor instructs you to, do not alter your dose if it differs from the recommended one.  

The strength of the medication determines how much of it you should take. Additionally, the medical condition for which you are utilizing the medication affects the amount of dosages you take each day, the interval between doses, and the duration of treatment.

Dosage

• Type 2 diabetes oral dosage (tablets/pills)

Adults- Take 5 mg once day at initially. Your dose may be changed by your doctor if necessary and tolerated.

Children- Your doctor should determine the use and dosage.

• To reduce the chance of heart failure hospitalization in people with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease

Adults- 10 mg, taken once day.

Children- Your doctor will decide the appropriate use and dosage.

What you should do before taking dapagliflozin:

• If you have any allergies, including to any of the substances in dapagliflozin tablets, notify your doctor and pharmacist very away. For a list of the components, see your pharmacist or the Medication Guide.

• If you are undergoing dialysis, notify your doctor. You could be advised by your doctor not to use dapagliflozin.

• Inform your doctor if you routinely consume alcohol, occasionally consume significant amounts of alcohol quickly (binge drinking), or follow a low sodium diet.

• Inform your doctor if you have or have ever had kidney or liver disease, urinary tract infections or trouble urinating, low blood pressure, yeast infections in the genital region, pancreatic disease including pancreatitis (swelling of the pancreas), and surgery on your pancreas.

• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. 

How long you should take dapagliflozin:

Diabetes typically require lifelong treatment.

Do not stop taking your dapagliflozin pills without first seeing your doctor. Your diabetes might grow worse if you stop taking it abruptly.