According to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, nearly 500 complication reports were filed regarding Invokana and similar drugs in a one-year span.
If you or a loved one suffered ketoacidosis, kidney failure or cardiac complications, you know that these conditions are no minor side effects. You may be entitled to compensation for your ordeal.
FDA: Invokana May Lead to Ketoacidosis
In May 2015, the FDA warned that Invokana and other similar drugs can lead to ketoacidosis, an excess of acids called ketones in the blood. Symptoms of ketoacidosis include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Excessive urinating
- Abdominal pain
- Labored breathing
Ketoacidosis is considered a medical emergency, and death may occur without intervention.
This life-threatening condition occurs when the body produces an excess of ketones, which are typically produced when insulin levels are low. It is a complication typically reported in people with type 1 diabetes. However, it now appears that type 2 diabetics who take Invokana may suffer ketoacidosis despite normal or near-normal glucose levels. For this reason, it’s not something that you can easily monitor or avoid on your own.
Invokana is a SGLT2 inhibitor. Unlike older classes of diabetic drugs, these medications do not metabolize sugar. Instead, they trigger an emergency response in the body to rid the blood of glucose via urine.
Other drugs in this class include:
- Invokamet
- Farxiga
- Xigduo XR
- Jardiance
- Glyxambi
Invokana Also Linked to Other Dangers
Kidney Failure
Other reports link Invokana to a risk of kidney failure. This is likely because Invokana aggressively acts on the kidneys to rid the body of sugar through urine.
Heart Attack
Invokana has also been linked to cardiac emergencies such as a heart attack. An ongoing study by Janssen, the drug’s manufacturer, has found a nearly sevenfold increase in the risk of suffering a cardiovascular event among Invokana users.
In fact, a majority of members on the FDA’s advisory committee expressed concern about the drug’s potential cardiac risks. Despite this, the drug was approved for the market in March of 2013.
The hundreds of complication reports compiled by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices were more than 92% of the drugs the Institute studied.
It May Be Time to Speak With an Attorney
Were you aware the risk was this serious when you started taking Invokana? Our attorneys are experienced in pharmaceutical drug cases, and we’ve helped people in your situation across the U.S.
Our attorneys can seek compensation for:
- Hospital stays, ambulance rides, surgeries
- Physical rehabilitation and rehabilitative equipment
- Lost wages, both past and future
- Pain and suffering
It’s free, confidential and without obligation to speak with a pharmaceutical drug attorney at Plevin & Gallucci. You can reach us at 1-855-4PLEVIN, or you can simply contact us by filling out the form on this page.
