Dapagliflozin+Metformin

When should one not use Dapagliflozin+Metformin

• If you are allergic to dapagliflozin, metformin or any other ingredient of Dapagliflozin+Metformin.
• If you have kidney disease or liver disease.
• If you drink alcohol or alcohol-containing beverages excessively or regularly.
• If you had a heart attack, shock, breathing problems or any other disease which may reduce the amount of oxygen supplied to the body tissues.
• If you have very low/very high blood sugar levels, diabetic ketoacidosis (a serious complication of diabetes) or lactic acidosis.
• If you have a severe infection or are dehydrated.

Common side effects of this drug are:

• Low blood sugar levels
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Loss of appetite

Other General Warnings

• You have type 1 diabetes (a condition where your body does not produce any insulin). This medicine should not be used in such cases.
• You have diabetic ketoacidosis (a serious complication of diabetes) or develop symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis, such as rapid weight loss, nausea, vomiting, excessive thirst, difficulty breathing, unusual sleepiness, tiredness, a sweet smell on your breath, a sweet or metallic taste in your mouth, or a different smell or colour of your urine.
• You develop symptoms of lactic acidosis, like vomiting, stomach pain, muscle cramps, a general feeling of being unwell, difficulty breathing, and low body temperature after taking this medicine.
• You have heart or kidney disease.
• You have very high blood sugar levels or other conditions like persistent vomiting or diarrhoea that lead to dehydration.
• You have or have had low blood pressure, or you take medicines to lower blood pressure.
• You frequently get urinary tract infections.
• You develop any infection of the feet.
• You experience symptoms such as pain, tenderness, redness, irritation, itching, unusual discharge or odor, swelling of the genitals or the area between the genitals and the anus, especially with fever.
• You are scheduled for any major surgery soon.
• You are taking medicines called bronchodilators to treat asthma (such as salbutamol) or corticosteroids for inflammation in asthma or arthritis (like fluticasone, prednisone, or celestone).

How Does It Work?

• Dapagliflozin+Metformin contains dapagliflozin and metformin as its active ingredients.
• Dapagliflozin blocks a certain protein in the kidneys called sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT-2) that is responsible for the reabsorption of glucose (sugar) from the urine into the blood. This causes the removal of sugar through the urine, thereby reducing the level of blood sugar.
• Metformin decreases the production of glucose and also reduces its absorption in the body.
• As a result, the level of blood sugar is reduced, which helps to control Type 2 diabetes.

Interactions with other medicines

• Tell your doctor about all medicines, supplements or herbals you are currently taking or might take to avoid any possible interaction.
• The use of this medicine with diuretics (furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide) may increase the risk of dehydration and low blood pressure.
• This medicine, when used together with insulin and insulin secretagogues (sulphonylurea), may cause extremely low blood sugar levels.
• Dapagliflozin+Metformin should not be used if undergoing X-ray with a certain type of injectable dye called iodinated contrast agents and with medicines used to treat stomach acidity (cimetidine).
• Particular care should be taken when using medicines to treat tuberculosis (rifampicin), high/abnormal cholesterol (simvastatin), immune system alteration (glucocorticoids), pain and fever (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen, rofecoxib), and high blood pressure (furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide, ramipril, losartan).

Overdose

Missed a Dose