The Food and Drug Administration  recently warned that certain type-2 diabetes medications may increase a patient’s risk of kidney failure.

The FDA warned that these medications may also increase the risk of ketoacidosis.

While the FDA investigates whether changes to these medications’ labels are necessary, many consumers are considering filing diabetes medication side effects lawsuits.

The diabetes medications implicated in the FDA’s investigation are part of a class of drugs known as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. These diabetes medications include the following medications:

– Invokana (canagliflozin)

– Invokamet (canagliflozin and metformin)

– Farxiga (dapagliflozin)

– Xigduo XR (dapagliflozin and metformin extended-release)

– Jardiance (empagliflozin)

– Glyxambi (empagliflozin and linagliptin)

The FDA approved SGLT2 inhibitors such as those listed above for use, along with a healthy diet and exercise, to lower the blood sugar of adult type-2 diabetes patients.

SGLT2 inhibitors work by removing glucose from the body through the kidneys. Kidneys usually reabsorb filtered glucose from the blood and return it to the bloodstream. SGLT2 inhibitors stop re-absorption, which ultimately lowers blood glucose levels.

Lawsuits against the manufacturers of these various SGLT2 inhibitors could allege that the diabetes medications increase the risk of kidney failure, as well as other complications including ketoacidosis and cardiovascular emergencies.

These diabetes medication side effects lawsuits claim that, if the manufacturers and marketers of these SGLT2 inhibitor drugs had properly warned of the heightened risks involved in using their products, patients would not have used these medications.

Instead, they would have taken some kind of substitute medication for their diabetes rather than expose themselves to potential side effects like kidney failure and ketoacidosis. They would also have been properly warned so that they could be monitored for signs of such serious complications.

Diabetes Medication Kidney Failure

Kidney failure is a serious side effect of these SGLT2 diabetes medications that occurs when kidneys stop functioning. Without proper kidney function, the waste products, fluids, and electrolytes that would normally be filtered and regulated by the kidneys build up in the body.

This build-up can result in weakness, shortness of breath, lethargy, confusion, abnormal heart rhythms, and sudden death.

If you have taken a SGLT2 diabetes medication and have experienced any of the above symptoms of kidney failure, you should seek medical help.

Sometimes, simple cessation of the medication can lead kidney function to return to normal. Other times, further treatment is necessary.

A growing number of people are pursuing diabetes medication lawsuits after suffering from various side effects including kidney failure, as well as ketoacidosis or heart problems.

If you or someone you know has suffered from significant side effects, including kidney failure, from one of these diabetes medications, you may be able to file a diabetes medication side effects lawsuit.

Pursuing a lawsuit could result in financial compensation that would help with medical expenses and lost wages, as well as emotional and physical suffering.