Dapagliflozin is an antidiabetic drug indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, as it increases glucose levels in the urine, which helps control blood sugar levels. Furthermore, it is also indicated for the prevention of heart failure or kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes.
This medicine is provided free of charge by the SUS, as long as it has a medical indication, or purchased in pharmacies or drugstores in the form of 10 mg tablets, as a generic or with the trade names Forxiga or Edistride.
Furthermore, dapagliflozin can also be found in combination with metformin or saxagliptin, under the names Xigduo XR or Qtern, and should be used with the advice of an endocrinologist.
What is it for
Dapagliflozin is indicated for:
- Treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, when diet and exercise alone were not enough to control blood sugar levels;
- Prevent or avoid the worsening of heart failure, cardiovascular death or kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus;
- Treatment of heart failure;
- Treatment of chronic kidney disease.
Dapagliflozin can be used alone or in combination with metformin, insulin or saxagliptin, in order to enhance the effect in controlling type 2 diabetes mellitus.
This medicine should be used with the recommendation of an endocrinologist and regular medical monitoring, to carry out blood glucose tests, have effective control of type 2 diabetes, evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment and the emergence of side effects.
If you want to be monitored by an endocrinologist, make an appointment in the nearest region:
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How does dapagliflozin work?
Dapagliflozin works by increasing the elimination of glucose from the blood through urine.
This is because this medicine inhibits the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) in the kidneys, and thus prevents the reabsorption of renal glucose into the bloodstream, and thus helps control type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Furthermore, dapagliflozin also helps to reduce the heart’s effort to pump blood, and therefore helps in the prevention or treatment of heart failure.
How to drink
Dapagliflozin should be taken orally, with a glass of water, before or after a meal.
The dosage of dapagliflozin varies according to the composition of the tablet and includes:
1. Dapagliflozin 10 mg
The dapagliflozin-coated tablet should be taken orally, with a glass of water, before or after a meal, at any time of the day, at the time established by the doctor.
The doses of dapagliflozin 10 mg coated tablet (Forxiga or Edistride) for adults are:
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus (used alone): 1 dapagliflozin 10 mg tablet, once a day;
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus (in combination with metformin): 1 tablet of 10 mg of dapagliflozin, once a day, and 1 tablet of 500 mg of metformin, once a day. Learn how to take metformin correctly;
- Cardiac insufficiency: 1 dapagliflozin 10 mg tablet, once a day;
- Chronic kidney disease: 1 tablet of 10 mg dapagliflozin, once a day.
Treatment with dapagliflozin should always be guided by an endocrinologist, with regular blood glucose tests performed to assess the effectiveness of dapagliflozin in controlling type 2 diabetes.
2. Dapagliflozin + metformin
Dapagliflozin + metformin (Xigduo XR) in the form of an extended-release coated tablet, may contain dapagliflozin 5 mg or 10 mg + metformin 500 mg or 1000 mg, indicated only for adults.
The dapagliflozin + metformin tablet should be taken orally, with a glass of water, along with a meal in the evening.
The recommended initial dose is 1 tablet of dapagliflozin 10 mg + metformin 500 mg, once a day. This dose can be modified by the doctor so that up to 2000 mg of metformin is used per day, maintaining the dose of 10 mg of dapagliflozin per day.
Therefore, it may be recommended to take 1 tablet of dapagliflozin 10 mg + metformin 1000 mg, once a day, or 2 tablets of dapagliflozin 5 mg + metformin 1000 mg, once a day.
3. Dapagliflozina + saxagliptina
The dapagliflozin 10 mg + saxagliptin 5 mg tablet should be taken orally, with a glass of water, before or after a meal.
The recommended dose for adults is 1 tablet per day, at the time established by the doctor.
Possible side effects
The most common side effects of dapagliflozin are urinary infections, vulvovaginal infections, candidiasis, vulvar abscess, bacterial vaginitis, balanoposthitis, balanitis, penile abscess or infection, back pain, the urge to urinate very frequently or an increase in the amount of urine.
Although rare, dapagliflozin can cause a serious genital infection called necrotizing fasciitis of the perineum or Fournier gangrene. Therefore, it is recommended to stop treatment and go to the emergency room immediately if symptoms such as redness, swelling or sensitivity in the genital area, fever or discomfort appear. Understand better what necrotizing fasciitis is.
Furthermore, when associated with metformin, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite or changes in taste may also occur.
When associated with saxagliptin, side effects such as respiratory tract infection, gastroenteritis, joint pain, headache or increased cholesterol and triglyceride levels, or acute pancreatitis may occur.
Who shouldn’t use
Dapagliflozin should not be used by children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or by people who have type 1 diabetes, chronic renal failure not associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus, diabetic ketoacidosis or allergies to any of the components of the tablets.
When associated with metformin or saxagliptin, it should also not be used in cases of severe renal or hepatic failure or metabolic acidosis.
