Johnson & Johnson is facing a new Invokana lawsuit from a Georgia couple, alleging the medication had caused them serious and permanent injury.

The couple claims that the pharmaceutical company failed to warn them against potential drug complications, including cardiac side effects the husband reportedly experienced.

Plaintiff couple Ralph L. Jr. and Tammie L. are filing this Invokana lawsuit, seeking compensatory damages for all medical expenses and loss of consortium.

Ralph had been prescribed Invokana to treat his type-2 diabetes symptoms, and had allegedly suffered a heart attack during his prescription.

From October 2013 to December 2015, Ralph had taken Invokana as according to his physician’s advice and prescription instructions.

The Invokana lawsuit points out that at no point during his Invokana prescription did Ralph deviate from prescription instruction nor use the drug outside of its intended use.

Cardiac Complications Lead to Invokana Lawsuit

Invokana is a part of the sodium-glucose contransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor drug class, and works by preventing the body from reabsorbing glucose. The drug then instructs the body to expel the excess sugar through urination, ultimately keeping blood sugar and insulin levels at an ideal balance in the body.

Invokana was the first SGLT2 inhibitor approved by the FDA, and was considered a breakthrough medication. However, soon after its release numerous injury reports were submitted, each alleging the medication had been the instigator.

According to the Invokana lawsuit, Ralph had suffered a heart attack during his Invokana prescription and alleges the drug was the cause.

While a number of Invokana reports indicate ketoacidosis and kidney failure, reports of heart attack are also not uncommon. In fact, Invokana has been indicated to increase the chances of heart attack by seven times in the first 30 days of starting the medication.

Upon Invokana’s approval in 2013, the FDA had ordered additional safety studies conducted to evaluate the risk of Invokana cardiac events. According to an interim analysis of the CANVAS safety study, there was a 46% increased risk of stroke and even greater risk of heart attack.

Even though this is a significant risk, Johnson & Johnson allegedly failed to warn Ralph and numerous other patients or their doctors.

Ralph and Tammie are filing this Invokana lawsuit for multiple counts of negligence and failure to warn, stating they had no way of knowing of any potential drug complications.

Ralph states that he never would have taken Invokana if he had known about the drug’s alleged link to increased risk of heart attack.

The Invokana lawsuit is Case No. 3:16-cv-09241, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Trenton Division.