Type-2 diabetes medications known as SGLT2 inhibitors have been named as some of the most dangerous drugs on the U.S. pharmaceutical market.

eMaxHealth says that diabetes drugs are number six among the top 10 most dangerous drugs, and SGLT2 Inhibitors are included in that list. SGLT2 Inhibitors include Invokana and Farxiga.

“The costly drugs used to treat diabetes are potentially more dangerous than the disease itself,” eMaxHealth claims.

Sodium­glucose cotransporter­2 (SGLT2) inhibitors work by causing the kidneys to remove sugar from the body and secreting it into the urine. Farxiga prevents SGLT2 proteins, which make up 90 percent of glucose, from reabsorbing into the kidney. Manufacturers claim that when combined with diet and exercise, SGLT2 inhibitors are known to be an effective treatment of type-2 diabetes.

However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already started warning about the dangerous health risks associated with SGLT2 inhibitors. The FDA required that Farxiga carry a warning for bladder cancer patients that the medication might make the cancer worse.

The federal agency has also asked Farxiga manufacturer AstraZeneca to analyze 17,000 type-2 diabetes patients over a four year period to find out how often these patients are diagnosed with liver problems, heart disease or cancer.

SGLT2 Health Risks

Diabetes medications marketed as SGLT2 inhibitors have faced scrutiny in recent months as the FDA has started warning about the possible risk of ketoacidosis, ketosis or kidney failure after receiving numerous adverse event reports from patients.

The federal agency confirmed 20 cases of diabetic ketoacidosis, ketoacidosis, or ketosis have been reported by patients taking a SGLT2 inhibitor. Ketoacidosis requires hospitalization in order to treat the medical condition, as it can lead to diabetic coma or even death.

Ketoacidosis occurs when the body produces high levels of blood acids (ketones). When the body does not have enough insulin for energy, it will break down fat and release ketones. If ketones build up in the blood, they make it more acidic which can lead to ketoacidosis.

While ketoacidosis is rare, in all of the cases reported to the FDA symptoms occurred within two weeks of starting an SGLT2 inhibitor.

Other reported SGLT2 inhibitor side effects include

• Genital fungus
• Hair loss
• Hepatitis
• Back pain
• Breast cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Heart failure
• Kidney damage or failure
• Urinary infection
• Bone fractures

Diabetes Medication Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

A diabetes medication class action lawsuit investigation has launched as personal injury attorneys are hoping to help type-2 diabetes patients who took an SGLT2 inhibitor and developed severe or even life-threatening side effects.

SGLT2 inhibitors are marketed under the following names:

• Jardiance (empagliflozin)
• Invokana (canagliflozin)
• Farxiga (dapagliflozin)
• Invokamet (canagliflozin and metformin)
• Glyxambi (empagliflozin and linagliptin)
• Xigduo XR (dapagliflozin and metformin extended-release)

Pursuing legal action is often times the only way patients can receive financial compensation to pay for medical bills and lost wages, as well as pain and suffering they have endured as a result of developing a serious medical condition.

If you or a loved one took an SGLT2 inhibitor and suffered from serious side effects, contact a diabetes medication lawyer to find out if you can join the diabetes medication class action lawsuit.