Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin) is used to manage blood sugar levels in adults with Type 2 diabetes. It's a combination of 2 medications: empagliflozin (a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor) and linagliptin (a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor). It lowers blood sugar by getting rid of extra sugar through your urine and helping your body make more insulin. Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin) is taken by mouth once daily. Some common side effects include urinary tract infections and upper respiratory tract infections.
Type 2 diabetes in adults (when taken along with nutritious diet and regular exercise)
Lowers risk of death from heart problems in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease
Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin) is a combination of two medications.
Empagliflozin is a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. It works in the kidneys to prevent the absorption of sugar back into your body. It lowers blood sugar by causing your body to get rid of excess sugar through your urine.
Linagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor. It works by blocking DPP-4, a protein that breaks down a hormone called GLP-1. Typically, GLP-1 tells your body to make more insulin and produce less sugar; it also makes you feel more full. Linagliptin lowers blood sugar levels by causing GLP-1 to stick around longer.
Source: DailyMed
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
Combines two medications into one pill for convenience
Can lower the risk of death from heart attack or stroke in people with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease
Only taken once a day in the morning with or without food
Not likely to cause weight gain
Not safe for use in people on dialysis
Not approved for people with Type 1 diabetes
Might cause you to urinate more often
Might cause urinary tract infections or genital yeast infections
Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin) can lower your blood pressure, which can cause dizziness and lightheadedness. This is more likely to happen if you're suddenly standing up from a sitting or lying down position. Make sure to get up slowly from these positions while taking Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin).
Make sure you're drinking enough fluids every day to prevent dehydration from Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin). Not drinking fluids as often as usual, vomiting, diarrhea, or being ill can lead to dehydration and raise your risk of having low blood pressure. Contact your prescriber if you feel dehydrated while taking Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin).
Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin) can cause genital yeast infections or urinary tract infections. Make sure to practice good hygiene to lower your risk of these infections. Let your care team know right away if you experience pain while urinating, frequent urination, belly pain, blood in the urine, genital itching, or discharge from the genitals.
If you're scheduled for a surgery, let your primary care provider know ahead of time. Your prescriber might ask you to pause your treatment with Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin) for at least 3 days before your surgery. Follow up with your prescriber after surgery to discuss when you should restart Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin).
If you have nausea, vomiting, belly pain, tiredness, fruity breath, or trouble breathing, stop taking Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin) and get medical attention right away. These can be signs of a serious condition called ketoacidosis (high acid levels in the blood or urine), which sometimes can require treatment in the hospital.
It's important to have a healthy and balanced diet and exercise regularly to keep your blood sugar under control. Make sure to work with your care team on a diet and exercise plan while taking Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin).
Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin) can interact with some medications. Let your care team know what medications you're taking, including over-the-counter products and supplements, before you start Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin).
Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Though rare, people who took linagliptin in clinical studies have reported inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). It's not known if linagliptin can raise your risk of pancreatitis if you've had this problem before. Some common symptoms of an inflamed pancreas are upper stomach pain, fever, nausea, and vomiting. If you start to feel any of these symptoms, contact your prescriber right away. You might need to stop taking Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin).
Risk factors: Not eating for a long period of time | After surgery | Sudden fever | Problems with pancreas | Stopping or lowering dose of insulin | Too much alcohol
People who have Type 2 diabetes and problems with pancreas are at higher risk for a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). This is a condition when your body makes too much acid and it's more likely to occur when your blood sugar levels are dangerously high. There have been reports of people who experienced DKA after taking Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin).
Get medical help right away if you notice signs and symptoms of DKA, such as shortness of breath, vomiting, belly pain, and feeling very tired because this condition can be life-threatening. If your healthcare team thinks you might have DKA, they'll ask you to stop taking Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin).
Risk factors: People age 65 years and older | History of kidney problems | Taking certain water pills (e.g., furosemide (Lasix)) | Low salt (sodium) diet
Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin) can cause low levels of fluids in the body because empagliflozin might cause you to urinate more. This can lead to dehydration, low blood pressure, or sudden kidney injury. Sometimes, the kidney problems can require hospitalization or dialysis. You might be at a higher risk for low fluid levels and their complications (e.g., low blood pressure) if you have kidney problems or are of older age. If you have any risk factors for low fluid levels, talk with your prescriber about how you can safely take Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin). You might need to get blood and urine tests done before or during treatment so your care team can check your kidney health. Speak with your prescriber if you feel dizzy, confused, chest pain, or notice you're urinating less than usual while taking Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin). These might be symptoms of dehydration, low blood pressure, or kidney problems.
Taking Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin) with certain other diabetes medications, such as insulin or a sulfonylurea, puts you at risk for dangerously low blood sugar levels. It's important to know how to recognize and treat low blood sugar. Symptoms of low blood sugar include feeling shaky, confused, or irritated. Carry glucose tablets or fast-acting sugars with you so you can treat low blood sugar when needed.
Risk factors: History of urinary tract infections (UTIs) or genital yeast infections
Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin) might raise your risk of genital and urinary tract infections. These infections can include infections affecting the kidneys and yeast infections. Your risk of a yeast infection is higher if you've had frequent or long-term genital yeast infections in the past. In rare cases, these genital infections can be serious and life-threatening, and they might require hospitalization or surgery. Let your prescriber know if you have genital itching, pain while urinating, cloudy urine, or back pain. These can be signs of a genital yeast infection or kidney infection. Get medical attention immediately if you have symptoms of a more serious infection, like pain, swelling, or redness in the genital area, along with fever and weakness.
Risk factors: History of allergy to DPP-4 inhibitors (or "gliptins") | History of allergy to SGLT2 inhibitors
Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin) can sometimes cause serious allergic reactions, such as rash, peeling or blistering skin, swelling, trouble breathing, and dizziness. These reactions are most common within the first 3 months of using this medication. Watch out for allergic reactions if you've had a reaction to a different DPP-4 inhibitor (also known as gliptins) like Januvia (sitagliptin). Before taking Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin), make sure to let your prescriber know about your medical history.
In some rare cases, some people taking linagliptin have experienced an itchy, blistering rash or other severe skin reactions. Typically, these blisters or sores go away once you stop taking the medication and get treatment for the rash.
If you experience an allergic reaction to Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin) or you experience itching skin, rash with blisters, or sores, stop the medication and get medical care right away.
People who take DPP-4 inhibitors, such as linagliptin in Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin), have experienced severe joint pain. This can happen anytime from a day to many years after starting this medication. For most people, the pain goes away after stopping the medication. If you experience any discomfort in your joints, speak to your care team right away.
Risk factors: History of amputations | Peripheral artery disease (narrowed blood vessels) | Diabetic foot ulcers
Although rare, some people who took empagliflozin during clinical studies needed foot or leg amputations. The risk for this complication appears higher for people who've previously had an amputation or have blood circulation problems. In studies, the most common reasons for amputations for people who took this medication were peripheral artery disease and diabetic foot ulcers.
Let a healthcare professional know right away if you have any new pain, tenderness, sores, ulcers, or infections on your legs or feet. Your care team can recommend ways to manage these foot problems or treat them before they get worse. If you have diabetes, regularly visit your diabetes care team for foot exams.
Risk factors: Heart failure | Heart problems | Kidney problems
If you've recently had a heart or kidney problem, let your prescriber know before starting Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin). Some studies show that there might be a chance that taking certain DPP-4 inhibitors might raise the risk for heart failure, especially if you're at high risk of a heart-related event (e.g., heart attack) or heart disease. But other studies seem to show conflicting evidence. More research is needed in this area for linagliptin in Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin). Let your prescriber know right away if you experience any symptoms of heart failure, such as trouble breathing, tiredness, swelling in your body, or sudden weight gain. Your prescriber might recommend that you go to the hospital and that you stop taking Glyxambi (empagliflozin / linagliptin).
Adults: The typical dose is 10 mg/5 mg (empagliflozin/linagliptin) by mouth once daily in the morning. If needed, your prescriber can raise your dose to a maximum of 25 mg/5 mg (empagliflozin/linagliptin) once daily in the morning.
People on dialysis
Type 2 diabetes in adults (when taken along with nutritious diet and regular exercise)
Lowers risk of death from heart problems in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease
Type 2 diabetes in adults
Lowering the risk of death due to heart problems in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease
Lowering the risk of hospitalization and death due to heart problems in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart failure
Lowering the risk of worsening kidney problems, hospitalization, and death due to heart problems in adults with Type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD)
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National Kidney Foundation. (n.d.). Dialysis.
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