Possible Ketoacidosis Side Effects of Invokana

Invokana (canagliflozin) belongs to class of Type 2 diabetes medications called sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, which are designed to be used in combination with diet and exercise to help control blood sugar levels in adults with Type 2 diabetes. Manufactured by Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit and approved by the FDA in March 2013, Invokana has since become one of the best-selling diabetes drugs on the market in the U.S., generating more than $270 million in sales during the first quarter of 2015. However, the use of SGLT2 inhibitors like Invokana has been tied recently to an alleged increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious medical condition that can lead to respiratory distress, kidney failure, coma and death.

Invokana Warnings from the FDA

Although Invokana has been on the market in the U.S. since 2013, reports about the potential risk of ketoacidosis from the diabetes drug are relatively new. In a drug safety communication issued by the FDA in May 2015, the agency reports that “the type 2 diabetes medicines canagliflozin [Invokana], dapagliflozin [Farxiga], and empagliflozin [Jardiance] may lead to ketoacidosis, a serious condition where the body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones that may require hospitalization.” Just two months after the FDA issued its SGLT2 inhibitor warning, Health Canada announced that it would be launching an investigation into the safety of Invokana and similar drugs, due to “international reports of ketoacidosis with the use of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with Type 2 diabetes.”

Lawsuits Over Invokana Ketoacidosis Injuries

With numerous studies and FDA warnings highlighting the alleged risk of diabetic ketoacidosis from SGLT2 inhibitors like Invokana, product liability lawyers across the country are investigating claims on behalf of consumers who believe they have been harmed by side effects of the diabetes medications. Because Invokana is a relatively new medication, many consumers currently taking the drug to treat Type 2 diabetes may be unaware of the potential connection between the treatment and diabetic ketoacidosis side effects. As researchers continue to examine this alleged link, product liability claims are expected to be brought against Janssen Pharmaceuticals and other SGLT2 inhibitor manufacturers in the coming months and years.

Contact an Experienced Invokana Attorney Today

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a potentially life-threatening medication complication that can lead to death if left untreated. Unfortunately, because the alleged link between SGLT2 drugs like Invokana and ketoacidosis side effects was withheld from consumers and the medical community until just recently, diabetes patients across the country have continued using the drug, unaware that it may be causing their ketoacidosis injuries. If you took Invokana or another SGLT2 inhibitor drug in the past, and you have since suffered a serious medical complication like diabetic ketoacidosis, contact a knowledgeable drug injury lawyer today for legal help. You may have grounds to file an Invokana lawsuit against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, in order to seek fair and timely reimbursement for your injuries.