SGLT2 inhibitors such as Jardiance are reportedly associated with a flesh eating skin infection which can be life-threatening.

In addition to Jardiance, type-2 diabetes medications in the SGLT2 inhibitors class include Invokana, Invokamet, Invokamet XR, Farxiga, Xigduo XR, Qtern, Glyxambi, Synjardy, Synjardy XR, Steglatro, Segluromet, and Steglujan. Like many diabetes medications, SGLT2 inhibitors lower blood glucose levels by processing excess sugar out through the kidneys.

However, the higher sugar levels in urine may create a good environment for bacteria and impair the body’s healing ability – increasing the chances of a flesh eating skin infection. This increase is in addition to the already higher risk diabetic individuals face due to higher sugar urine levels.

In late August 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a safety warning informing the public that SGLT2 inhibitors had been associated with a dangerous flesh eating genital infection called Fournier’s gangrene.

“Fournier’s gangrene is an extremely rare but life-threatening bacterial infection of the tissue under the skin that surrounds muscles, nerves, fat, and blood vessels of the perineum,” explains the FDA announcement. “The bacteria usually get into the body through a cut or break in the skin, where they quickly spread and destroy the tissue they infect.”

The sugar enriched urine of patients on SLGT2 inhibitors such as Jardiance reportedly feeds the bacteria that causes the infection and slows down the healing process for small micro cuts in the genital area. Together, this combination reportedly makes it more likely for a patient to develop Fournier’s gangrene.

Symptoms of the flesh eating skin infection may include fever, discomfort, swelling and moderate to severe pain in the genital area, and a general smell of the infected tissues. These symptoms can quickly lead to full gangrene.

In severe cases, tissue death may spread from the genitals into the thighs or even to the abdominal wall and up to the chest wall.

Treatment for Fournier’s gangrene usually involved aggressive treatment with antibiotics and surgical removal of dead tissue. This process may have to be done multiple times, and any reconstructive surgery necessary must wait until after treatment.

According to the FDA, there were 12 cases of Fournier’s gangrene in SGLT2 inhibitor patients between March 2013 and May 2018. The condition usually developed within the first several months of starting the medication and all of the 12 patients (seven men and five women) were reportedly hospitalized. The agency reports that some of the patients required multiple “disfiguring” surgeries, some experienced complications, and one patient died as a result.

Although only 12 cases over the course of several years does not seem like a huge risk, the FDA notes that this is a significant increase for the extremely rare disease. Over the course of 30 years, patients on all other diabetes medications reportedly only experienced six cases.

The disease may be rare, and the new risks associated with SGLT2 inhibitors such as Jardiance does not change that classification, but the increase from an average of one case every five years to an average of over two cases per year is significant.

Join a Free Diabetes Medications & Flesh-Eating Infection Lawsuit Investigation

The type-2 diabetes medications linked to the flesh-eating infection include:

• Invokana
• Invokamet/Invokamet XR
• Farxiga
• Xigduo XR
• Qtern
• Jardiance
• Glyxambi
• Synjardy/Synjardy XR
• Steglato
• Segluromet
• Steglujan

If you or a loved one took one of the type-2 diabetes medications listed above and suffered from a flesh-eating genital infection, you may qualify to join this diabetes medication lawsuit investigation. Fill out the FREE form on this page for more information.

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