Jardiance vs. Invokana: What You Should Know

See the list below to find out whether Jardiance or Invokana is available as a generic. (A generic drug is an exact copy of the active ingredient* in a brand-name medication.)

• Jardiance:
  • Available as a generic: no
  • Active ingredient: empagliflozin

• Invokana:
  • Available as a generic: no
  • Active ingredient: canagliflozin

* An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.

Jardiance and Invokana are both prescribed to treat high blood sugar caused by type 2 diabetes. Both drugs are also used to lower the risk of death due to a heart or blood vessel problem in certain adults. Each drug has other uses as well.

See the table below for details on the conditions each drug treats and helps prevent.

To learn more about using Jardiance or Invokana to treat your condition, talk with your doctor.

* Invokana isn’t approved for this use. But a doctor may still prescribe the drug off-label for this purpose. (With off-label use, doctors prescribe a drug for a purpose other than what it’s approved for.) Talk with your doctor for more information.
** Jardiance isn’t approved for this use. But a doctor may still prescribe the drug off-label for this purpose. Talk with your doctor to learn more.

Here’s an overview of the dosage of Jardiance and Invokana and how you’ll take them for the conditions they both treat and help prevent. All strengths are listed in milligrams (mg).

Jardiance and Invokana also both have other uses, but those aren’t addressed below. To learn more about the dosages for all conditions these drugs treat or help prevent, see the dosage articles for Jardiance and Invokana.

Dosage for type 2 diabetes

Dosage for lowering certain heart risks

Jardiance and Invokana may cause side effects ranging from mild to serious.

For more information about possible side effects, see the side effect articles on Jardiance and Invokana.

Mild side effects

Jardiance and Invokana may cause mild side effects. The table below lists examples of mild side effects that have been reported with these drugs.

This table may not include all mild side effects of these drugs. For more information on mild side effects of the two drugs, see the Jardiance prescribing information and Invokana prescribing information.

Serious side effects

In addition to the mild side effects described above, serious side effects may occur in people using Jardiance or Invokana. See the table below for a list of side effects that have been reported with these drugs.

To learn about your specific risk of serious side effects from Jardiance or Invokana, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Get answers to some frequently asked questions about Jardiance and Invokana.

How does Jardiance or Invokana compare with other similar drugs, such as Ozempic or Farxiga?

All of these medications are prescribed to treat high blood sugar levels caused by type 2 diabetes.

Jardiance, Invokana, and Farxiga all belong to the same group of drugs. This means they work in a similar way and have similar side effects. Ozempic belongs to a different drug group.

To learn more about how Jardiance and Invokana compare with other drugs for type 2 diabetes, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Can Jardiance or Invokana be used for weight loss?

No, Jardiance and Invokana aren’t used for weight loss. Minor weight loss has been reported with Jardiance and Invokana, but the drugs are not prescribed for this purpose.

To learn more about treatment options for weight loss, talk with your doctor.

You may wonder whether Jardiance or Invokana are effective for your condition.

Jardiance and Invokana are both used to treat high blood sugar caused by type 2 diabetes. Studies of Jardiance and Invokana have shown both drugs to be effective for this use. In addition, the American Diabetes Association includes both drugs in its treatment recommendations for type 2 diabetes.

Both Jardiance and Invokana are also prescribed to lower the risk of certain heart and blood vessel problems in adults with both type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Studies of Jardiance and Invokana have shown that both drugs are effective for this use. In addition, the American Diabetes Association includes both drugs in its treatment recommendations for type 2 diabetes in people with heart disease.

It’s important to note that your results from Jardiance or Invokana may differ from those seen in studies. Talk with your doctor about whether one of these drugs is right for you.

Both drugs are approved for other uses as well. If you’d like to read more about how each drug performed in studies, see the prescribing information for Jardiance and Invokana.

Whether you have health insurance or not, cost may be a factor when you’re considering these drugs. Visit Optum Perks to get price estimates for Jardiance and Invokana when you use coupons from the site. It’s important to note that Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any insurance copays or benefits.

Keep in mind that what you’ll pay for either drug will depend on your treatment plan, health insurance, and the pharmacy you use.

Jardiance and Invokana are both brand-name drugs. Neither drug is available in a generic form.

For other resources that might help you save on the price of these drugs, see the cost articles for Jardiance and Invokana.

Jardiance and Invokana may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. These may be referred to as warnings.

The two drugs share some of the same warnings, but they also have different ones. Some of these warnings are mentioned below.

Before using Jardiance or Invokana, talk with your doctor if any of the following conditions or health factors apply to you.

• Warnings for Invokana:
  • if you’ve had a lower limb amputated before
  • if you have or have had narrowed or blocked blood vessels, especially in your leg
  • if you have nerve damage in your leg
  • if you have or have had diabetic foot ulcers
• Warnings for both Jardiance and Invokana:
  • if you’ve had an allergic reaction to either drug or any of its ingredients
  • if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant
  • if you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed
  • if you have a kidney condition
  • if you have a liver condition
  • if you have a history of genital infections or urinary tract infections (UTI)
  • if you have a pancreas condition or had one in the past
  • if you have type 1 diabetes
  • if you have or have had diabetic ketoacidosis
  • if you have a surgery planned

To learn more about these drugs, see the in-depth articles on Jardiance and Invokana.

The short answer: Yes.

Details: If your current medication is working for you, your doctor likely won’t have you switch drugs. But if your health needs change, you may be able to switch between Jardiance and Invokana. If so, your doctor can determine whether switching is appropriate and what dosage you should take.

Reminder: You should not switch drugs or stop your current treatment unless your doctor recommends it. Talk with your doctor to learn more about switching between Invokana and Jardiance.

Jardiance and Invokana are similar drugs. They belong to the same group of drugs, have some shared uses, and can cause similar side effects.

If you’re interested in learning more about Jardiance and Invokana, talk with your doctor. Some questions you may want to ask include:

• Based on my health history, is one of these drugs a better choice for me?
• Is Jardiance or Invokana a better option for me based on interactions with other medications I take?
• If I start taking Jardiance or Invokana and have side effects, would it help to switch to the other drug?

To learn more about Jardiance, see these articles:

• All About Jardiance
• Side Effects of Jardiance
• All About Jardiance’s Dosage
• Jardiance and Cost: What You Need to Know

And for more information about Invokana, see these articles:

• All About Invokana
• Dosage Details for Invokana
• Side Effects of Invokana: What You Need to Know

To get information on different conditions and tips for improving your health, subscribe to any of Healthline’s newsletters. You may also want to check out the online communities at Bezzy. It’s a place where people with certain conditions can find support and connect with others.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.