Invokana, a popular diabetes drug that has been hailed as a groundbreaking treatment, has also been linked to instances of Invokana injury.

Invokana (canagliflozin) is an oral diabetes medication that is designed to help stabilize blood sugar levels in patients with type-2 diabetes.

Unlike with other oral diabetes medications, Invokana can be effective without promoting weight gain and hypoglycemia as side effects of its use.

However, despite its apparent efficacy, some patients have sustained Invokana injury as a result of the drug’s use.

Side Effects of Invokana Use

Invokana works differently than other oral diabetes drugs. It is a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT 2) inhibitor. As such, it works by inhibiting the kidney from reabsorbing glucose into the blood, and instead causes the body to excrete the excess glucose into the urine, thereby reducing blood glucose levels.

The drug has been associated with side effects involving the kidney, including kidney failure. It is theorized that the drug may put more pressure on the kidneys than they can adequately respond to, and thus they begin to fail.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is another side effect sometimes reported as an Invokana injury. This condition develops when there is too much acid in the body, and if left untreated, it can be fatal.

Typically, diabetic ketoacidosis is more of a risk for patients with type-1 diabetes. However, type-2 diabetes patients have been reporting suffering instances of ketoacidosis while they were taking Invokana.

Heart attack and stroke have also been documented in reports of Invokana-related adverse effects. In particular, a study showed that patients taking Invokana were more likely to be hospitalized due to heart failure.

Heart failure is a condition that occurs when the heart is unable to keep up with the body’s demands for blood.

FDA Warns of Invokana Injury

In May 2015, the FDA issued a warning regarding the increased risk of ketoacidosis and diabetes medications in the SGLT-2 inhibitor class, which included Invokana.

The agency was prompted to issue this warning after it received more than 20 reports stating that patients had developed diabetic ketoacidosis following their use of SGLT-2 inhibitors during the time period between March 2013 and April 2014.

In 2016, the FDA added the risk of acute kidney injury to the precautions of Invokana use.

Thus far, the Food and Drug Administration has issued warnings about acute kidney injury and diabetic ketoacidosis as possible complications of Invokana. More warnings may follow if the agency receives additional reports of complications related to Invokana treatment.

Filing an Invokana Lawsuit

Plaintiffs in Invokana lawsuits often claim that after they were prescribed and ingested Invokana, they suffered and may continue to suffer severe complications including diabetic ketoacidosis, kidney failure, stroke, and heart attack.

If you have sustained an Invokana injury, you may be eligible to file an Invokana lawsuit against the manufacturer in order to recover damages do to your injuries. An experienced Invokana lawyer can review your potential case at no charge to you and can discuss your legal options.