Drug interactions
Empagliflozin + Insulin degludec / insulin aspart
Severity: Moderate
Empagliflozin and Insulin degludec / insulin aspart: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Empagliflozin lowers glucose independently of insulin, so adding it to insulin therapy increases the risk of hypoglycemia. Insulin dose requirements may fall.
What this interaction means in plain words
Empagliflozin and Insulin degludec / insulin aspart can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Additive glucose-lowering effects: SGLT2 inhibition increases urinary glucose excretion while insulin enhances glucose uptake.
What to do
Monitor blood glucose when starting empagliflozin and consider reducing the insulin dose. Counsel patients on hypoglycemia symptoms and on ketoacidosis risk if insulin is cut too far.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Empagliflozin
- Amiloride + Empagliflozin Moderate
- Amlodipine-hydrochlorothiazide-valsartan + Empagliflozin Moderate
- Amlodipine-olmesartan-hydrochlorothiazide + Empagliflozin Moderate
- Atenolol-chlorthalidone + Empagliflozin Moderate
- Azilsartan-chlorthalidone + Empagliflozin Moderate
- Bendroflumethiazide + Empagliflozin Moderate
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Empagliflozin with Insulin degludec / insulin aspart?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Empagliflozin and Insulin degludec / insulin aspart can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Empagliflozin lowers glucose independently of insulin, so adding it to insulin therapy increases the risk of hypoglycemia. Insulin dose requirements may fall.
How serious is the interaction between Empagliflozin and Insulin degludec / insulin aspart?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor blood glucose when starting empagliflozin and consider reducing the insulin dose. Counsel patients on hypoglycemia symptoms and on ketoacidosis risk if insulin is cut too far.
What other medicines interact with Empagliflozin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Empagliflozin with, for example, Amiloride, Amlodipine-hydrochlorothiazide-valsartan, Amlodipine-olmesartan-hydrochlorothiazide. The full list is on the Empagliflozin page.
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