Closer Monitoring Urged for Kidney Function
Sold under the brand name Farxiga, dapagliflozin has been widely lauded for its ability to benefit patients with renal and cardiovascular health problems. Research has shown that the medication significantly reduces hospitalizations due to heart failure and cardiovascular events.In the study, the research team analyzed 246 patients undergoing therapy with Farxiga. Half of the patients were male, just more than 60 percent had Type 2 diabetes, 75 percent had high blood pressure, 46 percent were diagnosed with heart failure, and 26 percent had chronic kidney disease. During their therapy, the patients’ serum creatinine, sodium, and potassium levels were measured at the beginning and between five and eight days after treatment began.
Both sugar and sodium levels were significantly higher at baseline compared to the endpoint, while creatinine and potassium levels were significantly higher at the endpoint than at baseline.
The research team found that the prevalence of hyponatremia, a common electrolyte disorder characterized by lower than normal sodium levels in the bloodstream, and hyperkalemia, which results from too much potassium in the blood (potentially fatal in patients with chronic kidney disease), increased at the endpoint.
Managing chronic kidney disease can be especially difficult. As renal function declines, patients become more at risk of developing hyponatremia or hyperkalemia, the research team noted.
“Our findings raise concerns regarding renal function, emphasizing the need for the close monitoring of renal parameters in clinical practice, particularly in the first few weeks after starting dapagliflozin,” they wrote.
Farxiga’s Known Serious Side Effect Risks
Farxiga received approval from the Food and Drug Administration in April 2021 for use in patients with chronic kidney disease, whether or not they have Type 2 diabetes.Chronic kidney disease affects more than 840 million people worldwide. The most common causes of this condition include diabetes, hypertension, and glomerulonephritis. It is associated with significant patient morbidity and an increased risk of cardiovascular events, including heart failure and premature death.
The majority of patients with chronic kidney disease will die from cardiovascular disease before reaching end-stage kidney failure. Since its initial approval, the drug has continued to gain new approvals for additional treatments.
- Ketoacidosis, a serious condition in which ketones build up in the bloodstream
- Dehydration
- Serious urinary tract infections
- Low blood sugar
- Vaginal yeast infections and yeast infections of the skin around the penis
