CANAGLIFLOZIN
About
CANAGLIFLOZIN is used to treat type 2 diabetes in people whose sugar levels are too high and cannot be controlled by diet and exercise alone. Type 2 diabetes is a condition that occurs when there is either less insulin or the available insulin is not properly utilized by the body cells for lowering raised blood glucose. It is the most common type of diabetes, accounting for around 90% of diabetes cases found commonly in middle-aged people. So it is also called adult-onset diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM).
CANAGLIFLOZIN contains Canagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporters-2 (SGLT-2) (a protein present in the kidney) inhibitor that works by inhibiting the reabsorption of glucose in the body, resulting in an increase in glucose excretion through urine. The removal of excessive glucose helps to lower the blood sugar level. Additionally, it also lowers high blood pressure due to increased diuretic effect (water loss) and reduced body weight due to a reduction in glucose availability.
In some cases, you may experience urinary tract infections, changes in urination (urinating more frequently or in larger amounts, urgent need to urinate, need to urinate at night), constipation, feeling thirsty, nausea, dizziness, and nausea. Most of these side effects of CANAGLIFLOZIN do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects are persistent, reach out to your doctor.
Before starting CANAGLIFLOZIN, let your doctor know if you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant, or breastfeeding. Also, tell the doctor if you have/had any medical history of heart, liver, or kidney diseases. Inform your doctor about all the medicines you are taking and your health condition to rule out any unpleasant side effects. CANAGLIFLOZIN works best when coupled with a healthy lifestyle like losing weight if you are overweight (BMI>25), eating fewer calories (low fat and sugary food), and being more physically active (at least 150min of activity every week).
Uses of CANAGLIFLOZIN
Medicinal Benefits
CANAGLIFLOZIN belongs to the group of medicines called “anti-diabetic” indicated in the treatment of type 2 diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM). This medicine is primarily prescribed to persons with high blood sugar levels, which is not controlled by diet and exercise alone. CANAGLIFLOZIN consists of “Canagliflozin”, a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor responsible for the inhibition of SGLT-2 enzymes in the kidney. It prevents the reabsorption of glucose from the blood filtered through your kidney, thereby increasing the glucose excretion from your body when you pee.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of CANAGLIFLOZIN
- Urinary tract infections
- Changes in urination (including urinating more frequently or in larger amounts, urgent need to urinate, need to urinate at night)
- Constipation
- Feeling thirsty
- Nausea
- Blood tests may show changes in blood fat (cholesterol) levels
- Increases in the number of red blood cells in your blood
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
CANAGLIFLOZIN should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. Before you start taking CANAGLIFLOZIN, tell your doctor if you have serious heart disease or if you have had a stroke, low blood pressure (hypotension), and severe liver or kidney disease. CANAGLIFLOZIN, when used with insulin, $ name may lower the blood sugar level, leading to hypoglycemia, which can be fatal. Your doctor may adjust the dose by lowering the dose of insulin or CANAGLIFLOZIN in this case. If you experience rapid weight loss, feeling sick or being sick, stomach pain, excessive thirst, fast and deep breathing, confusion, unusual sleepiness or tiredness, a sweet smell to your breath, a sweet or metallic taste in your mouth, or a different odour to your urine or sweat, talk to a doctor or go to the nearest hospital immediately.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: CANAGLIFLOZIN interacts with other antidiabetic drugs (glimepiride, glipizide), diuretics (furosemide), medicines used to control seizures (carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital ), a medicine used to treat HIV infection (efavirenz, ritonavir), antibiotic used to treat tuberculosis (rifampicin), a medicine used to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood (cholestyramine), blood thinner (dabigatran) medicines used for certain heart problems (digoxin).
Drug-Food Interactions: CANAGLIFLOZIN may interact with household sugar and cause abdominal discomfort and stomach upset. Therefore one should avoid consuming foods rich in sugar. Additionally, CANAGLIFLOZIN interacts with St. John’s wort (a herbal medicine to treat depression).
Drug-Disease Interactions: People affected with heart diseases (like congestive heart failure and myocardial infarction), have sugar (glucose) and ketones (a type of chemical) in pee, severe kidney or liver disease, often get urinary tract infections, and alcoholism should avoid intake of CANAGLIFLOZIN.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeYou should avoid consuming alcohol with CANAGLIFLOZIN as it may alter your blood sugar levels or lead to serious side effects.
Pregnancy
cautionNo sufficient data are available on the use of CANAGLIFLOZIN in pregnancy. CANAGLIFLOZIN is a Category C pregnancy drug that is not recommended for use in pregnancy. Hence, consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
Breast Feeding
cautionThere is no sufficient data on how CANAGLIFLOZIN affects breastfeeding. It is safe to seek medical advice before you start CANAGLIFLOZIN if you are breastfeeding.
Driving
cautionCANAGLIFLOZIN is safe to take before driving as it does not affect your thinking ability. Do not drive or operate machinery if you experience dizziness or drowsiness.
Liver
cautionIf you have liver disease or a history of liver impairment, consult your doctor before taking CANAGLIFLOZIN. Your doctor may adjust the dose or prescribe a suitable alternative based on your condition.
Kidney
cautionIf you have kidney disease or a history of kidney impairment, consult your doctor before taking CANAGLIFLOZIN. Your doctor may adjust the dose or prescribe a suitable alternative based on your condition.
Children
cautionCANAGLIFLOZIN is not recommended for children below 18 years of age, as the safety and effectiveness were not established.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
A person should engage themself in regular exercise like cycling, running, walking, jogging, dancing, or swimming for at least 30 minutes. Try to invest at least 150 minutes weekly in exercise.
A person should also maintain a healthy body weight to avoid obesity or high blood sugar; it can increase the risk of the onset of diabetes.
A person should take low fat and a low sugar diet. For that, replace carbohydrates with whole grains, fruits, and vegetables as carbohydrates changed into sugars leading to high blood sugar levels.
Try to avoid potatoes as they are high glycaemic foods that increase the risk of high sugar in the blood.
A person should limit the consumption of alcohol and quit smoking.
Keep your blood pressure as normal (120/80) as possible, as it reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases in diabetes patients.
Do not take stress as it may elevate your blood sugar level. You can adopt stress management techniques like mindfulness to control stress-related blood sugar changes.
Special Advise
You should have a test of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1C) every 3 months to check your blood glucose level control.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Type 2 diabetes: It is a chronic or lifelong condition in which the body's cells fail to respond to insulin and, in later stages, the body fails to produce enough insulin. It accounts for roughly 90% of all diabetes cases. Because of this condition, the body must rely on various energy sources in muscles, tissues, and organs. Early symptoms of this disease include constant hunger, lack of energy, fatigue, weight loss, excessive thirst, frequent urination, dry mouth, itchy skin, and blurry vision. Type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes, is most common in people in their forties and fifties. The risks of uncontrolled type 2 diabetes include retinal damage or blindness, limb loss, nerve problems, kidney problems, sexual dysfunction, and an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.
FAQs
CANAGLIFLOZIN is used to treat type 2 diabetes, also called 'non-insulin-dependent diabetes.
CANAGLIFLOZIN is a type of medicine known as a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor used for the treatment of type -2 diabetes. It lowers blood sugar levels by blocking the action of SGLT-2 in the kidney and removing excess sugar from your body through urination.
Take the missed dose as soon as possible. However, if it is time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule.
Do not stop taking CANAGLIFLOZIN until your prescribed course is finished, even if you feel better.
Once blood sugar goes below the normal range (70mg/dl), it is called hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. If you feel your sugar level is going down and feel weak, immediately eat sugar candies. It will help to balance the blood sugar level in your body. So, it is advisable to keep sugar candies with you if you have diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic (long-lasting) condition that keeps the body away from properly utilizing insulin. Hence, people affected with type 2 diabetes either do not produce enough insulin, or there is resistance to the action of insulin. Middle-aged or older are most likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes, so it is also known as adult-onset diabetes. The symptoms include frequent urination at night, increased thirst, slow wound healing, increased hunger, fatigue, and blurred vision.
During the treatment with CANAGLIFLOZIN, maintain a healthy diet and do regular exercise to control blood sugar levels. Avoid skipping any dose of CANAGLIFLOZIN, as it may cause fluctuations in your blood sugar levels. Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions and any other medications that you are taking.
No, Invokana tablet and metformin are not the same. Though, both the medicines are used to treat Type 2 diabetes mellitus, their mechanisms of action are different.
Take CANAGLIFLOZIN with or without food as prescribed by your doctor. Try to take it at the same time every day. Swallow it as whole with a glass of water. Do not crush, break or chew it.
Record your blood sugar levels, either daily or on a regular basis so that you can show them to your doctor on your next visit. Your doctor will examine these reports and let you know whether CANAGLIFLOZIN is working or not.
Patients with a history of amputation are more prone to lower limb amputation. Patients with foot ulcers or sores, as well as those who have or had heart disease, are also at high risk. Additionally, patients who have or have suffered from neuropathy (nerve damage that causes numbness, tingling, and pain, usually in your hands and feet) and peripheral vascular disease (narrowing of blood vessels in feet, legs, or arms causing numbness, pain, or coldness) are also at high risk of lower limb amputation.
CANAGLIFLOZIN usually causes loss of fat mass which typically results in weight loss. However, this may differ from person to person depending upon the doses and whether it is being used alone or with other diabetes medications.
The serious side effects of CANAGLIFLOZIN are sudden kidney impairment, ketoacidosis (increased ketones in your blood or urine), low blood sugar, some allergic reaction, and serious urinary tract infections. Although it is rare, CANAGLIFLOZIN may also cause a severe bacterial infection that may damage the tissue beneath the skin in the perineum (area between and around the anus and genitals). CANAGLIFLOZIN may weaken your bones, increasing the risk of fractures, especially in the wrists, upper arms, or hands.
