The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned medical professionals and patients that type-2 diabetes medicines - canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, and empagliflozin - may cause high levels of blood acids which can lead to serious adverse effects.

The three drugs, all belonging to a new class known as SGLT2 inhibitors, work by lowering blood sugar by making the kidneys remove sugar from the body through the urine. The other existing medicines for type-2 diabetes do not work through kidneys and rather use pancreas as a pathway.

Though the US FDA has not yet banned the medicines, it has asked doctors to evaluate for the presence of acidosis, and patients to keep a close watch for any signs of ketoacidosis and seek medical attention immediately if they experience symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, confusion, and unusual fatigue or sleepiness............Read more

Source web page: The Times of India