Key takeaways
Jardiance (empagliflozin) and glipizide/metformin are both medications used to manage Type 2 diabetes, but they work in different ways and have distinct characteristics. Jardiance is a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor that helps lower blood sugar by causing your body to excrete excess sugar through urine. It also has benefits for heart failure and chronic kidney disease. Jardiance is taken once daily and is currently only available as a brand-name medication, with generics expected after 2025. Common side effects include urinary tract infections and yeast infections. On the other hand, glipizide/metformin is a combination of two medications: glipizide, a sulfonylurea that stimulates insulin release from the pancreas, and metformin, a biguanide that reduces sugar production and absorption. This combination is available as a generic and must be taken with meals to avoid low blood sugar. It can cause side effects like diarrhea and low blood sugar, and it carries a risk of lactic acidosis, especially in people with kidney problems. While Jardiance is taken once daily, glipizide/metformin may need to be taken multiple times a day depending on your dose and meal schedule.
