Dapagliflozin is mainly used to treat type 2 diabetes.
It can also be used to treat heart failure and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Dapagliflozin is usually prescribed if:
- you have type 2 diabetes and cannot take metformin
- the medicine you have been taking is not controlling your blood sugar properly – this may mean taking dapagliflozin with other diabetes medicines at the same time
- you have heart failure – it can reduce the risk of the heart getting weaker, and help symptoms such as tiredness
- you have chronic kidney disease – it helps to slow the rate at which the condition gets worse
Dapagliflozin is only available on prescription and comes as tablets.
Dapagliflozin also comes combined with other diabetes medicines. Brand names include Xigduo (dapagliflozin with metformin) and Qtern (dapagliflozin with saxagliptin).
Key facts
- Dapagliflozin works on your kidneys. It increases the amount of sugar removed from your body when you pee. It can also reduce the amount of work your heart needs to do to pump blood around the body.
- Dapagliflozin usually starts to work (reduce your blood glucose levels) after about 2 hours, but it may take up to a week for it to take full effect
- If you're taking dapagliflozin with other diabetes medicines, it can sometimes cause low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). It's a good idea to always carry sweets or fruit juice with you in case this happens.
- Unlike some diabetes medicines, dapagliflozin does not make you put on weight. In fact, some people find they lose weight.
- If you have diabetes, you're entitled to free prescriptions for all of your medicines, not just your diabetes ones.