What should I know before taking an SGLT2 inhibitor?

Donna Hill Howes, RN

Family Practitioner

Your doctor will need to test your kidney function before starting treatment. If you have severe kidney impairment or end-stage renal disease (ESRD), you should not take an SGLT2 inhibitor.

If you have severe liver impairment, you should not take canagliflozin. Other SGLT2 inhibitors may also not be good options for you.

If you have bladder cancer, you should not take dapagliflozin. If you have had bladder cancer in the past, dapagliflozin may not be a good option for you.

If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or may be pregnant, SGLT2 inhibitors may not be good options for you. It is not known if they are safe for pregnant women.

You should not take an SGLT2 inhibitor if you are breastfeeding.

This answer was adapted from Sharecare's award-winning AskMD app. Start a consultation now to find out what's causing your symptoms, learn how to manage a condition, or find a doctor.

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Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus (MEL-ih-tus), often referred to as diabetes, is characterized by high blood glucose (sugar) levels that result from the body’s inability to produce enough insulin and/or effectively utilize the insulin. Diabetes is a serious, life-long condition and the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism (the body's way of digesting food and converting it into energy). There are three forms of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that accounts for five- to 10-percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes may account for 90- to 95-percent of all diagnosed cases. The third type of diabetes occurs in pregnancy and is referred to as gestational diabetes. Left untreated, gestational diabetes can cause health issues for pregnant women and their babies. People with diabetes can take preventive steps to control this disease and decrease the risk of further complications.

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