Key takeaways
Jardiance (empagliflozin) and Invokana (canagliflozin) are both sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors used to manage Type 2 diabetes, but they have some differences. Jardiance is also approved to lower the risk of death in adults with heart failure or chronic kidney disease, while Invokana is approved to reduce the risk of major heart events and worsening kidney problems in certain adults with diabetic kidney disease. Jardiance is taken once daily in the morning, and its typical dose starts at 10 mg, which can be increased to 25 mg. Invokana is also taken once daily, but it should be taken before the first meal of the day, with a starting dose of 100 mg that can be increased to 300 mg. Both medications can cause yeast infections and urinary tract infections, but Invokana has a higher reported rate of vaginal yeast infections (11-12%) compared to Jardiance (5-6%). Additionally, Invokana has a known risk of bone fractures, which is not mentioned for Jardiance. Neither medication is available in generic form yet, but Jardiance generics are expected to be available after 2025.
