What is Invokana?

Invokana is a drug manufactured by Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceuticals. This drug was developed to help type-2 diabetics control their bloog-sugar levels and was the first drug approved of its kind by the FDA. Invokana was approved of in March of 2013 and is classified as an SGL2 inhibitor.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors help prevent hyperglycemia (high blood-sugar levels) by helping the patient’s kidneys remove excess sugar from the body through the urine. Other medications within the same class as Invokana include Farxiga, Glyxambi, Jardiance, and Xigudo.

Invokana Side Effect Information

The consumer protection group Institute for Safe Medication PracticeS (ISMP) has linked Invokana to hundreds of severe adverse events within the first 12 months of its market release, mostly falling into 6 categories. Unfortunately, the label does not warn patients of many of these dangerous side effects.

The most serious potential side effects, problems, and risks caused through the use of Invokana are heart attack, kidney damage, stroke, and diabetic ketoacidosis.

FDA Warning

In May 2015, the FDA issued a Safety Communication for all drugs in the SGLT2 inhibitor class regarding the risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis. Currently, the FDA said it received about 20 cases of ketoacidosis and all of these patients had to go to the hospital for treatment of the condition.

Its European counterpart, the EMA, has already reported over 100 cases of ketoacidosis related to SGLT2 drugs. Most patients took the drug for two weeks or less before symptoms showed up and almost all had to be hospitalized.