Lawsuits Allege J&J Failed to Warn Patients About Dangers of Invokana
Canagliflozin, brand name Invokana, is a type 2 diabetes medication that helps control blood sugar levels by helping the kidneys clear glucose from the bloodstream by flushing it out in patients’ urine. But a growing number of lawsuits filed by type 2 diabetes patients against Johnson & Johnson claim that had they been properly warned of the risks of Invokana use, they would likely have chosen another medication.
What is Invokana?
Invokana, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2013, is part of a class of Type 2 diabetes drugs called SGLT2 inhibitors. SGLT2 is a protein in humans that facilitates glucose reabsorption in the kidneys, and SGLT2 inhibitors block the reabsorption of glucose in the kidneys, increase glucose excretion, and in turn lower blood glucose levels.
However, despite its notable ability to control blood sugar levels, Invokana has some potentially serious side effects, including:
Kidney damage – Kidney failure occurs when the kidneys stop functioning without the help of dialysis or a kidney transplant. Kidneys help filter waste products from the blood, so when they stop functioning properly, electrolytes, fluids, and waste products build up in the body and cause abnormal heart rhythms, confusion, shortness of breath, weakness, and death.
Ketoacidosis – When the body is unable to produce enough insulin, ketoacidosis develops. Without enough insulin, the body breaks down fat as an alternative source of energy, which in turn produces a buildup of toxic acids in the bloodstream known as ketones. When untreated, excess ketones in the blood result in ketoacidosis, which can lead to diabetic coma, hospitalization, and death.
Myocardial infarction (heart attack) – The heart requires a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients delivered in the blood by two large, branching coronary arteries to the heart muscle. If one of the arteries or branches becomes blocked, a portion of the heart is starved of oxygen and a condition called cardiac ischemia occurs. If cardiac ischemia lasts too long, the starved heart tissue dies, and a heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction, occurs.
Farxiga and Jardiance – Follow up Drugs
Following the release of Invokana, the FDA released two more drugs in the same SGLT-2 class in 2014 – Farxiga and Jardiance. Farxiga was originally rejected by the FDA because it was found to have a significant number of bladder cancer incidences.
In May 2015, the FDA issued a drug safety communication stating that Invokana, Farxiga and Jardiance may lead to ketoacidosis, and highlighted 20 cases of acidosis in patients treated with SGLT2 inhibitors from March 2013 to June 2014T.
Filed under: General Problems
Leave a Reply