Product News and Recalls

Case Report Highlights Diabetic Ketoacidosis Risk with SGLT2 Inhibitors

Another case report links sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors like Invokana to diabetic ketoacidosis, a severe and potentially fatal condition wherein the body produces too many blood acids. The article, published in the journal Practical Diabetes, presents the case of a 58-year-old woman who suffered severe diabetic ketoacidosis after her twice-daily insulin regimen was replaced by dapagliflozin.

SGLT2 inhibitors, the new class of type 2 diabetes medication introduce in 2013, were first linked to ketoacidosis last May, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that some patients had been diagnosed with the condition after using drugs like Invokana, Farxiga, and Jardiance. Furthermore, medical experts have warned that SGLT2 inhibitors can make it harder to detect diabetic ketoacidosis when it occurs.

According to the new case report, the 58-year-old female patient was initially treated for type 2 diabetes with metformin and twice-daily biphasic insulin injections. When her general practitioner began her on dapagliflozin, her blood glucose levels dropped significantly over a period of weeks, sometimes leading to hypoglycemia. She then was gradually tapered off of her insulin injections. Within 36 hours after full cessation of insulin treatment, the woman was admitted to the hospital with severe diabetic ketoacidosis, which required management in an intensive care unit.

The authors of the report note that SGLT2 inhibitors “can reduce insulin requirements significantly. While the glucose may be falling even into normal ranges, the patient is likely becoming insulinopenic leading to muscle and fat metabolism,” which results in the production of excess blood acids.

Speak to your doctor about any health concerns you may have. If you or someone you know was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis or bone fracture after using an SGLT2 inhibitor like Invokana or Farxiga, contact the pharmaceutical attorneys at Lopez McHugh for a free consultation. We can help you determine whether an SGLT2 inhibitor lawsuit is right for you.