Invokana and Kidney Problems

In his complaint, Wardell Fleming indicates that he was prescribed Invokana in November 2013, to treat his diabetes and help control his blood sugar. As a result of his Invokana treatment, Fleming alleges, he developed serious kidney problems, including kidney failure, kidney damage, and reduced kidney function, and is now at an increased risk of stroke, heart attack and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) as a result of taking the Type 2 diabetes medication. “SGLT2 inhibitors, including Invokana, are designed to inhibit renal glucose reabsorption with the goal of lowering blood glucose,” the lawsuit states. “As a result, excess glucose is not metabolized, but instead is excreted through the kidneys of a population of consumers already at risk for kidney disease.”

FDA Warnings for Invokana Users

Allegations raised in Fleming’s lawsuit mirror concerns raised by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which issued a new drug safety communication on December 4, warning that Invokana and other SGLT2 (sodium-glucose cotransporter-2) inhibitors may increase the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis and serious urinary tract infections. According to the warning, the agency identified “19 cases of life-threatening blood infections (urosepsis) and kidney infections (pyelonephritis) that started as urinary tract infections with the SGLT2 inhibitors reported to FAERS from March 2013 through October 2014. All 19 patients were hospitalized, and a few required admission to an intensive care unit or dialysis in order to treat kidney failure.”

Alleged Side Effects of SGLT2 Inhibitors

Both the FDA and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) have raised serious concerns about the alleged side effects of Invokana and other SGLT2 inhibitors, which may include kidney failure, kidney damage, diabetic ketoacidosis, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, dehydration, hypersensitivity and abnormal weight loss. In fact, the ISMP examined the adverse event reports submitted to the FDA and found that Invokana (canagliflozin) was associated with more adverse events than 92% of the other medications regularly monitored by the organization.

Invokana Makers Accused of Failure to Warn

Like Fleming, former Invokana users across the country are now pursuing legal claims against Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, alleging that the drug makers knew or should have known about the potential for Invokana users to suffer kidney injuries and other serious complications. According to Fleming’s complaint, “The development of Plaintiff’s injuries was preventable and resulted directly from Defendants’ failure and refusal to conduct proper safety studies, failure to properly assess and publicize alarming safety signals, suppression of information, revealing serious and life-threatening risks, willful and wanton failure to provide adequate instructions, and willful misrepresentations concerning the nature and safety of Invokana.”

Contact an Experienced Invokana Lawyer Today

In its December safety warning, the FDA announced new warnings for the labels of SGLT2 inhibitors like Invokana, highlighting the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis, urinary tract infections, kidney infections and kidney failure that may result from treatment with the diabetes drugs. If you or a loved one has suffered kidney failure, kidney damage, diabetic ketoacidosis, or another serious side effect allegedly associated with Invokana treatment, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries. Contact a knowledgeable Invokana attorney as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.

What are SGLT2 Inhibitors and what are the risks associated with their use?

SGLT2 inhibitors are also known as gliflozins. They lead to a reduction in blood glucose levels. Therefore, SGLT2 inhibitors have potential use in the treatment of type II diabetes. As studied on Invokana (canagliflozin), a member of this class of drugs, gliflozins enhance glycemic control as well as reduce body weight and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. There are however serious concerns. The gliflozins canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, and empagliflozin have been linked to diabetic ketoacidosis or DKA, a condition where acid levels in the blood become dangerously high.

Warning signs of ketoacidosis (DKA) include vomiting, nausea, trouble breathing, general confusion, abdominal and intestinal pains and severe fatigue. The FDA has urged patients who are taking any of the aforementioned diabetes medications and are suffering from any of these symptoms to seek medical attention immediately.

Additional side effects of gliflozins allegedly include increased risk of kidney failure and other kidney injuries, heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis, urinary tract infections, candidal vulvovaginitis and hypoglycemia.

Dangerous Side Effects Linked to SGLT2 Inhibitor Diabetes Medications

Diabetic Ketoacidosis also known as DKA or Ketoacidosis is a condition in which high levels of ketones (chemicals that the body creates when it breaks down fat to use for energy) are produced in the body. Ketoacidosis is a condition that can result in a patient suffering diabetic coma, extended hospitalization and even death. Ketoacidosis develops when the body is unable to produce enough insulin, which insulin plays a major role in helping sugar (glucose) enter cells, and provides needed energy to the muscles and other tissues. Without enough insulin, the body breaks down fat as an alternative source of energy. This process produces a buildup of toxic acids in the bloodstream, ketones.

Kidney failure occurs when your kidneys stop functioning without the use of dialysis or a kidney transplant. Kidneys help filter waste products from the blood. They are also involved in regulating blood pressure, red blood cell production and electrolyte balance. If your kidneys fail to function properly, waste products, electrolytes and other fluids can build up in the body and can cause weakness, shortness of breath, fatigue, confusion, abnormal heart rhythms and death.

Myocardial infarction (MI) or acute myocardial infarction (AMI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow stops to a part of the heart causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may travel into the shoulder, arm, back, neck, or jaw. Often it is in the center or left side of the chest and lasts for more than a few minutes.

Why are we filing Diabetes Medication Lawsuits against the manufactures of drugs like Invokana, Jardiance, Xigduo, Invokamet, and Glyxambi?

The diabetes medication lawsuits allege that the manufacturers and marketers of SGLT2 inhibitors (including as Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., AstraZeneca, etc.) failed to adequately research their drugs in clinical studies and that they did not warn physicians or patients of the increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and other dangerous side effects. The lawsuits allege that if the manufacturers and marketers of these drugs had properly warned patients and doctors of the risks, there is a strong likelihood that doctors would have been more reluctant to prescribe the drugs, and that many of the patients would have been chosen a less dangerous alternative to treat their diabetes, and that they would likely have had relevant symptoms monitored on a more regular basis for potential signs of increased levels of ketones, heart concerns, and kidney impairment.

How to file a lawsuit if you or a loved one have suffered an injury after taking a diabetes medication

If you or a loved one have been prescribed one of the diabetes medications above and have suffered from a dangerous side effect such as diabetic ketoacidosis, kidney failure, heart attack or stroke, it is highly recommended that you contact an attorney as soon as possible. A lawsuit can be filed on your behalf at no cost to you or your family unless there is a settlement or verdict in your favor. Call right now at 888-323-9935 or complete the form at http://invokana.attorney/ and one of our attorneys will get back to you right away to discuss your case at no cost.