From the Guidelines
Jardiance (empagliflozin) has not been strongly associated with causing pancreatitis, as evidenced by the lack of direct mention in the 2025 standards of care in diabetes 1. The medication belongs to the SGLT2 inhibitor class, which works by helping the kidneys remove excess sugar from the bloodstream through urine, a mechanism that doesn't directly affect the pancreas. While the standards of care in diabetes-2025 do mention pancreatitis as a potential risk for other diabetes medications, such as GLP-1 receptor agonists and DPP-4 inhibitors 1, Jardiance is not explicitly linked to this condition. Some key points to consider about Jardiance and other medications include:
- The SGLT2 inhibitors, including Jardiance, have been shown to have benefits for cardiovascular and kidney outcomes 1.
- The primary side effects of Jardiance include urinary tract infections, genital yeast infections, and volume depletion, rather than pancreatitis 1.
- If symptoms of pancreatitis occur, such as severe abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting, immediate medical attention is necessary, although these symptoms are more likely related to other causes rather than Jardiance itself. It's essential to weigh the benefits and risks of any medication, and for Jardiance, the current evidence does not support a strong association with pancreatitis 1.
From the Research
Jardiance and Pancreatitis
- Jardiance, also known as empagliflozin, is a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes.
- There have been some reports of acute pancreatitis associated with the use of empagliflozin, as seen in case reports 2, 3.
- However, a post-authorization safety study found that patients newly initiating empagliflozin did not have an increased risk of acute pancreatitis compared to those initiating a sulfonylurea 4.
- Another study analyzed adverse event reports in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System database and found that metformin was the drug with the greatest number of reports related to acute pancreatitis, but empagliflozin was not among the top reported drugs 5.
- A nationwide retrospective cohort study from Taiwan found that dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, such as sitagliptin, were associated with a decreased risk of acute pancreatitis compared to sulfonylureas, but the study did not specifically examine empagliflozin 6.
Risk of Pancreatitis
- The current evidence suggests that the risk of acute pancreatitis associated with empagliflozin is low, but it is not entirely clear due to the limited number of studies and the rarity of the event 4, 2, 3.
- Healthcare professionals should be aware of the potential risk of pancreatitis associated with empagliflozin and monitor patients for signs and symptoms of acute pancreatitis, such as severe abdominal pain 2, 3.
- Further studies are needed to fully understand the risk of pancreatitis associated with empagliflozin and other medications used to treat type 2 diabetes 6, 4, 5.