Synjardy is a tablet containing empagliflozin (an SGLT2 inhibitor) and metformin (a biguanide). It helps lower blood sugar in people with Type 2 diabetes when used with a balanced diet and regular exercise. Synjardy can also help lower the risk of serious problems in adults with Type 2 diabetes who have heart disease, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease (CKD). Immediate-release tablets (IR) are for people 10 years and older and are taken twice a day. The extended-release tablets (XR) are only for adults and are taken once a day. Side effects include urinary tract infections and genital yeast infections.
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)
Synjardy is a combination of two medications:
Empagliflozin is a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. It blocks the SGLT2 protein in the kidneys. This stops sugar and sodium (salt) from absorbing back into your body through the kidneys. As a result, a few things happen.
Sugar goes into your urine instead. This helps get rid of extra sugar in your blood, which lowers your blood sugar levels.
By stopping your body from reabsorbing sodium, the heart can fill with blood more easily. The heart can also pump blood better to the rest of the body. This lessens stress on the heart. And with blood flowing better through the kidneys, it helps slow down CKD from getting worse.
Metformin is a biguanide. It lowers the amount of sugar that your liver makes. It also lowers the amount of sugar that's absorbed through your gut from food you eat. And, it helps your body respond better to insulin (your cells can take up sugar from the blood and use it as energy better).
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 these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
Combines two medications into one tablet for convenience
Not likely to cause weight gain
Available in both immediate-release and extended-release versions
Immediate-release tablets are okay for children 10 years and older to take
Need to take with food
Might cause urinary tract infections or genital yeast infections
Not safe for people with severe kidney problems or on dialysis
Not approved for people with Type 1 diabetes
Take Synjardy with food. This helps lower the risk of side effects like diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and belly pain.
For Synjardy XR tablets: Swallow the tablets whole. Don't cut, crush, dissolve, or chew the tablets. Otherwise, it can affect how the medication gets absorbed into your body. You might see pieces of the tablet in your stool, which is normal.
Be sure to drink enough fluids while taking Synjardy. You could get dehydrated if you don't drink enough fluids, are sick, or have side effects like vomiting or diarrhea. Call your care team if you feel dehydrated, dizzy, or lightheaded while taking Synjardy.
Synjardy can raise your risk of genital yeast infections or urinary tract infections. Practice good hygiene to lower your risk of these infections. Tell your care team right away if you have pain while urinating, cloudy or bloody urine, or belly pain. Also call them if you have any genital itching, redness, or discharge. Your care team can get you the treatment you need if you have an infection.
Tell your prescriber ahead of time if you have a surgery or procedure coming up. They'll tell you if you need to take a break from Synjardy a few days before and when it's safe to take it again. Taking Synjardy while you're fasting for a procedure can raise your risk of having too much acid build up in the blood. This can be harmful.
If you need an imaging test done, talk to your prescriber beforehand. Also tell the imaging team you're taking Synjardy. Some tests use contrast dyes that can affect your kidneys for a short while. This can raise the risk of a serious problem called lactic acidosis while you're taking Synjardy. Follow your care team's instructions about when to stop and restart the medication to stay safe.
Stop taking Synjardy and get medical help right away if you have signs of ketoacidosis. These signs include feeling very tired, fruity breath, or trouble breathing. Also stop taking it and call for help if you feel dizzy, confused, a fast heartbeat, muscle pain, or stomach pain. These can be signs of lactic acidosis. Both problems come from having too much acid in the blood and can be dangerous.
Follow a healthy and balanced diet and exercise regularly while you're taking Synjardy. This helps keep your blood sugar under control. It also helps improve your overall health. Talk to your care team about a diet and exercise plan that works best for you.
Synjardy 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.
Risk factors: Kidney problems | Liver problems | Heart failure | Low oxygen | Age 65 or older | Surgery or procedure that requires fasting | Drinking a lot of alcohol | Imaging procedure using contrast dye | Taking certain medications that affect the kidneys | Taking medications that raise the risk of lactic acidosis
Synjardy has metformin in it, which has a risk of causing a rare but serious condition called lactic acidosis. This happens when there's too much lactic acid builds up in your blood. If it isn't treated, it can lead to life-threatening health problems.
Before starting Synjardy, let your prescriber know about your medical conditions and medications. They can check if you're at risk for lactic acidosis. In particular, your risk is higher if you have kidney problems. So, your prescriber will check your kidney health with blood tests before you start. This helps make sure the medication is safe for you.
Get emergency medical help right away if you have fast breathing, trouble breathing, an uneven heartbeat, stomach pain, muscle pain, or feel very tired or weak. These can be signs that you have too much lactic acid in your blood.
Risk factors: Not eating for a long time | Surgery | Sudden fever | Ketogenic diet (keto diet) | Dehydration | Pancreatic problems | Type 2 diabetes | Lowering your insulin dose or missing insulin doses | Alcohol use disorder
Some people with diabetes who took empagliflozin, one of the ingredients in Synjardy, had a serious condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). This happens when your body uses fat for energy instead of sugar. This leads to a buildup of acidic ketones in the blood. And when your blood gets too acidic, it can be very dangerous.
Ketoacidosis can happen even if your blood sugar isn't very high. This includes when you have a fever, eat less than usual, drink a lot of alcohol, or just had surgery.
Stop taking Synjardy and get medical help right away if you notice signs of ketoacidosis. These signs include a dry mouth, fruity-smelling breath, feeling tired, vomiting, stomach pain, and trouble breathing.
Risk factors: People age 65 years and older | History of kidney problems | Taking certain water pills
Synjardy can cause your body to lose fluid. If you lose too much fluid, it can lead to dehydration or low blood pressure. In some cases, it has also caused kidney damage, which might need hospital care or dialysis.
Before you start Synjardy, tell your prescriber about your medical history. You might be at risk of having low fluid levels and related problems if you have kidney problems or are older. If you're at risk, your prescriber might do blood and urine tests to make sure the medication is safe for you.
Let your care team know if you feel dizzy or confused or if you're urinating less than usual while you're taking Synjardy. These could be signs of dehydration, low blood pressure, or kidney problems.
Risk factors: History of genital yeast infections | History of urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Synjardy might raise your risk of getting urinary tract infections (UTIs), including those that get to the kidneys. It can also make it easier to get a genital infection, like a yeast infection. In rare cases, genital infections can be very serious and might need hospital care.
Tell your care team right away if you have signs of a UTI or genital infection. These signs can include pain while urinating, cloudy urine, itching in the genital area, or back pain. Get medical help right away if you have signs of a more serious infection. Watch for pain, swelling, or redness in the genital area, along with a fever or feeling weak.
Risk factors: Changes in diet and exercise | Taking other medications for diabetes, especially insulin or sulfonylureas (like glipizide) | Children
You could have low blood sugar if you take Synjardy with insulin or sulfonylureas (like glipizide). Your prescriber might need to change the dose of your diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar from getting too low.
It's important to know the signs of low blood sugar. These can include feeling shaky, very hungry, confused, weak, nervous, sweaty, or having a fast heartbeat. Always carry glucose tablets or other fast-acting carbohydrates with you, just in case. If you have low blood sugar, treat it with fast-acting carbs right away. Talk to your care team if you're worried about low blood sugar while taking this medication.
Risk factors: Previous amputation | Peripheral artery disease (narrowed blood vessels) | Diabetic foot ulcers or infections
In rare cases, some people who took empagliflozin (one of the ingredients in Synjardy) needed a foot or leg amputation. In studies, this was usually a toe or foot but sometimes it was above or below the knee. The most common reasons for amputation were peripheral artery disease and diabetic foot ulcers. The risk might be higher for people with these problems and those who've had an amputation before.
Pay close attention to your legs and feet while taking Synjardy. Tell your care team if you have any new pain, tenderness, sores, ulcers, or infections on your legs or feet. Your prescriber can suggest ways to treat these foot problems before they get worse.
Risk factors: Allergy to metformin | Allergy to Jardiance (empagliflozin)
Some people can have a serious allergic reaction to Synjardy. Watch for signs like rash, swelling of your face or lips, swelling in your throat, or trouble breathing. Stop taking Synjardy and get medical care right away if this happens.
Let your prescriber know if you've had an allergic reaction to Jardiance (empagliflozin) or metformin before. You'll need to take a different medication to stay safe.
Risk factors: Lower than average calcium or vitamin B12 intake | Problems with vitamin B12 or calcium absorption
Taking Synjardy can sometimes cause your vitamin B12 levels to drop. This might lead to vitamin B12 deficiency, which can put you at risk for anemia. It might be more likely to happen if you take this medication for several months or more.
Your prescriber might check your vitamin B12 levels and blood cell counts during treatment. Tell your care team if you feel very tired, dizzy, short of breath, or have tingling or numbness in your hands or feet. These could be signs of low vitamin B12 levels or anemia.
If your levels are too low, your prescriber might suggest vitamin B12 supplements to help. Your vitamin B12 levels also usually go back to normal after you stop taking Synjardy.
Your dose depends on whether you're switching to Synjardy from Jardiance (empagliflozin), metformin, both, or neither.
Adults and children 10 years and older: The recommended dose is 5 mg/500 mg (empagliflozin/metformin) or 5 mg/1,000 mg (empagliflozin/metformin) by mouth twice a day with food. The highest dose you can take is 12.5 mg/1,000 mg (empagliflozin / metformin) twice a day.
Adults only: The recommended dose is 10 mg/1,000 mg (empagliflozin/metformin) by mouth once a day in the morning with food. The highest dose you can take is 25 mg/1,000 mg (empagliflozin / metformin) once a day.
Severe kidney problems, including people on dialysis
Metabolic acidosis (dangerously high levels of acid in the body), including diabetic ketoacidosis
History of allergic reaction to Jardiance (empagliflozin) or metformin
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)
Type 2 diabetes
To lower the risk of major heart events (e.g., heart attack, stroke) in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease
To lower 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
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American Diabetes Association. (n.d.). Signs, symptoms, and treatment for hypoglycemia (low blood glucose).
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (2025). Synjardy- empagliflozin and metformin hydrochloride tablet [package insert]. DailyMed.
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (2025). Synjardy XR- empagliflozin, metformin hydrochloride tablet, extended release [package insert]. DailyMed.
MedlinePlus. (2023). Dehydration.
MedlinePlus. (2023). Metabolic acidosis.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2024). Symptoms & causes of kidney infection (pyelonephritis).
National Kidney Foundation. (2023). Dialysis.
Office on Women’s Health. (2021). Vaginal yeast infections.
You and Your Hormones. (2021). Insulin.
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