Invokana Lawsuit

On May 15, 2015 FDA issued a safety warning that the type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM) drugs canagliflozin (Invokana, Johnson & Johnson), dapagliflozin (Farxiga, AstraZeneca plc) and empagliflozin (Jardiance, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH and Eli Lilly & Company) belonging to SGLT-2 class inhibitors may cause diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious condition that makes blood acidic due to the presence of ketones.

According to the FDA safety alert, patients should stop taking their SGLT2 inhibitor and seek medical attention immediately if they have any symptoms of ketoacidosis, a serious condition in which the body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones.

SGLT-2 inhibitors (including Invokana, Farxiga and Jardiance) are a class of FDA approved drugs prescribed for type-2 diabetes patients in conjunction with diet and exercise to lower blood glucose levels.

These drugs block glucose reabsorption from the kidney, thus increasing urinary glucose excretion and reducing blood glucose levels.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis is an acute metabolic complication of diabetes, also referred to as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

DKA occurs when insulin levels are inadequate to meet the body’s basic metabolic requirements.

Insulin deficiency leads to the formation of free fatty acids due to the breakdown of triglycerides and amino acids, which get converted to highly acidic ketone bodies, leading to acidosis.

Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain that can progress to kidney failure, cerebral edema, coma, and death.

Symptoms of Diabetic Ketoacidosis include, but are not limited to:

• Abdominal Pain
• Excessive Thirst
• Lower stomach or pelvic pain
• Nausea
• Rapid Weight Loss
• Signs and symptoms of a urinary tract infection (which includes a feeling of burning when urinating or the need to urinate often or right away)
• Sweet smell to the breath and/or a sweet metallic taste in the mouth
• Tiredness
• Trouble Breathing
• Vomiting

WARNING:  Untreated symptoms of ketoacidosis can lead to kidney failure, cerebral edema, coma or death.