The NHS has warned British patients taking a commonly prescribed drug to seek urgent medical help if they notice any of three specific symptoms.
These may indicate serious complications resulting from the consumption of dapagliflozin.
Dapagliflozin, also known by the brand name Forxiga, is primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes, but is also prescribed for heart failure and chronic kidney disease.
The exact number of patients prescribed dapagliflozin each year in Britain is not available, but it is one of the more expensive drugs, with the NHS spending around £300 million annually on dapagliflozin in England alone.
According to Express, dapagliflozin is also available in combination with other diabetes treatments, under brand names such as Xigduo (dapagliflozin with metformin) and Qtern (dapagliflozin with saxagliptin).
However, the NHS warns on its website that dapagliflozin “like all medicines” can cause some unwanted side effects. They are:
- You have a very dry or sticky mouth, feel very thirsty, sleepy or tired, do not urinate (or very little) and have a fast heartbeat – this may indicate dehydration.
- You have a high fever (or feel hot, cold or shivery), a burning sensation when urinating, pain in your back or side, or blood in your urine – these could be signs of a urinary tract infection (UTI).
- You develop severe pain, tenderness, redness or swelling in the groin or perineal area, together with a high temperature or feeling unwell. This could be a sign of a serious infection called Fournier gangrene.
