Product liability attorneys are  looking for potential plaintiffs to bring Invokana lawsuits.

Invokana attorneys are looking for plaintiffs who suffered serious adverse side effects due to taking the drug. Potential serious side effects include ketoacidosis and kidney failure.

Invokana (canagliflozin) is a type-2 diabetes medication used to help regulate a patient’s blood sugar. The medication works by causing the kidneys to remove sugar by eliminating sugar through urine.

Invokana belongs to a new class of Type 2 diabetes medication known as SGLT2 inhibitors. SGLT2 include Invokana, Invokamet, Farxiga, Jardiance, Xigduo XR, and Glyzambi.

The Food and Drug Administration warned that using SGLT2 medications like Invokana may cause serious side effects that can lead to a condition called ketoacidosis which can lead to hospitalization. Ketoacidois is a life-threatening disease that occurs when there is not enough insulin in the body and the body’s cells are unable to get the sugar they need for energy.

When this happens, the body begins to break down fat and muscle for energy, which produces ketones and fatty acids, which enter the bloodstream and cause a chemical imbalance.

Warning symptoms of the ketoacidois include nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, fatigue or sleepiness, and confusion. Anyone taking SGLT2 inhibitors like Invokana who experience these conditions should seek medical attention immediately.

The FDA advises patients taking these medications to seek the advice of a medical professional before stopping any prescription medication. According to the FDA, the agency is still looking into certain safety issues surrounding the SGLT2 class of drugs and will eventually determine whether changes need to be made to the drug information packets.

Invokana was first approved by the FDA in March 2013. Soon after its approval, Johnson & Johnson, the drug’s manufacturer, began aggressively marketing the medication. For the first quarter of 2015, sales from Invokana already brought in approximately $278 million.

According to Johnson & Johnson’s CEO, the medication is continuing to gain market share despite increased competition. With more people being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, profits will likely continue to increase for Johnson & Johnson in the future.

Certain sources suggest that Invokana’s high drug sales may not be solely based on the effectiveness of the medication. Major drug companies often pay significant sums of money to market medications to doctors and, at times, pay doctors to push certain drugs.

According to the public interest website ProPublica, Johnson & Johnson spent over $7 million in just five months during 2013 to support the drug’s marketing. Johnson & Johnson also spent over $16 million dollars to advertise in medical journals.

If product liability attorneys decide to file Invokana lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson, successful plaintiffs will have the opportunity to be compensated for injuries found to be associated with taking the medication.