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Compare Actos vs. Invokana

Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, warnings, and more.

Key takeaways

Actos (pioglitazone) and Invokana (canagliflozin) are both oral prescription medications used to manage type 2 diabetes, but they work in different ways and belong to different drug classes. Actos helps your body use insulin more effectively, while Invokana helps your kidneys remove excess sugar through the urine. Actos is typically taken once daily with or without food. In contrast, Invokana is taken once daily before the first meal of the day and can also help reduce the risk of heart and kidney problems. Actos can cause weight gain and fluid build-up, which may worsen heart failure, while Invokana can lead to weight loss and raises the risk of genital infections and possibly amputations. Both medications can cause low blood sugar, especially when used with other diabetes treatments. Actos is available in generic form, whereas Invokana is only available as a brand-name medication.

  • Pioglitazone (Actos)
    Invokana (canagliflozin)
  • Pioglitazone (Actos)
    Invokana (canagliflozin)

  • Summary of Actos vs. Invokana

    Summary for Thiazolidinedione
    Prescription only

    Pioglitazone (Actos) is an oral medication used to treat Type 2 diabetes in adults, along with diet and exercise. It's a thiazolidinedione, which works by helping your body respond better to insulin. This medication is taken by mouth once a day and is available in both brand and generic forms. Side effects include headache, swelling in the body, and weight gain. There's also a serious warning that it can cause or worsen heart failure.

    Summary for SGLT2 inhibitor
    Prescription only

    Invokana (canagliflozin) is a medication that's used together with a healthy diet and exercise to lower blood sugar levels in adults with Type 2 diabetes. It can also lessen the chance of worsening heart and kidney problems in some people with Type 2 diabetes. This medication is taken by mouth once a day.

  • Indications of Actos vs. Invokana

    Indications for
    •Type 2 diabetes in adults, along with diet and exercise
    Indications for
    •Type 2 diabetes
    •Lowering the risk of major heart events (e.g., heart attack, stroke) in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease
    •Lowering the risk of hospitalization for heart failure, death due to heart problems, and worsening of kidney problems in certain adults with Type 2 diabetes and diabetic kidney disease

  • Pros and Cons of Actos vs. Invokana

    Pros and Const for Thiazolidinedione
    Pros
    •Only taken once a day
    •Rarely causes dangerously low blood sugar when taken by itself
    •Can be taken with or without food
    Cons
    •Can cause fluid buildup in the body
    •Not safe for people with moderate to severe heart failure
    •Not a good choice for people with bladder cancer
    Pros and Const for SGLT2 inhibitor
    Pros
    •Only taken once a day
    •Can use alone or together with other diabetes medications
    •Dose can be adjusted based on how well the medication is working for you
    Cons
    •Only available as brand only
    •Might raise the risk of genital infections or bone fracture
    •Not recommended in second and third trimesters of pregnancy
    •Unknown if safe or works well in people on dialysis

  • Common Side Effects of Actos vs. Invokana

    Common Side Effects for
    •Swelling (27%)
    •Upper respiratory tract infection (13%)
    •Headache (9%)
    •Heart failure (8%)
    •Sinus infection (6%)
    •Pain in the arms and legs (6%)

    Side effects above are for pioglitazone (Actos) taken alone. These might differ if it's taken with other medications.

    Common Side Effects for
    •Vaginal yeast infection in females (11-12%)
    •Urinary tract infections (UTIs; 4-6%)
    •More urination (5%)

  • Warnings of Actos vs. Invokana

    Common Side Effects for
    •Heart failure and swelling
    •Low blood sugar (when used with other medications)
    •Liver problems
    •Bladder cancer
    •Risk of bone fractures
    •Eye problems
    Common Side Effects for
    •Leg and foot amputations
    •Ketoacidosis
    •Low fluids in the body (leading to low blood pressure or dehydration)
    •Genital and urinary tract infections
    •Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) when used with certain other diabetes medications
    •Severe allergic reactions
    •Bone fractures

  • Prices with our coupons for Actos vs. Invokana

    Learn more about Pioglitazone
    Learn more about Invokana

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