Jardiance and Farxiga are medications prescribed for adults with type 2 diabetes. They’re used in combination with improved diet and exercise.

These drugs help control your blood sugar levels, but they may also be prescribed to help lower your risk for certain complications from heart disease. Type 2 diabetes is commonly associated with heart disease.

Both Jardiance and Farxiga are brand-name prescription drugs. There isn’t a generic version of either drug available currently.

This article explains some of the key differences between Jardiance and Farxiga. If you have type 2 diabetes, this information can help you discuss with your doctor if one of these drugs may be right for you.

Note: For more comprehensive information about these two drugs, see the Medical News Today articles on Jardiance and Farxiga.

Jardiance contains the active drug empagliflozin. Farxiga contains the active drug dapagliflozin.

These drugs belong to the same class of medications: sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. They work by making your kidneys remove more sugar from your blood and eliminate it from your body in your urine.

In addition, one of the ways they help heart disease is by lowering your blood pressure.

Jardiance and Farxiga are FDA-approved for some of the same uses, as well as different ones.

  • Uses for both Jardiance and Farxiga:
    • To help control blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. The drugs are approved for use in combination with diet and exercise.
  • Other uses for Jardiance:
    • To reduce the risk of death caused by heart disease, such as heart attack and stroke. For this use, Jardiance is approved for adults with both type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
  • Other uses for Farxiga:
    • To reduce the risk of hospitalization for heart failure. For this use, Farxiga is approved for adults with both type 2 diabetes and heart disease or risk factors for heart disease.
    • To reduce the risk of hospitalization and death from heart failure. For this use, Farxiga is prescribed for adults who have heart failure, but who don’t have type 2 diabetes.

Note: Neither Jardiance nor Farxiga is approved for treating type 1 diabetes.

Farxiga and Jardiance belong to the same drug class: sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. As a result, they can cause similar side effects. Below are examples of these side effects.

Mild side effects

The following lists address the more common mild side effects that can occur with Jardiance or Farxiga, as well as those that both drugs share. For more information on mild side effects of the two drugs, see the Jardiance Medication Guide and Farxiga Medication Guide.

  • Can occur with Jardiance
    • joint pain
  • Can occur with Farxiga
    • back pain
  • Can occur with both Jardiance and Farxiga:
    • respiratory infections, such as the common cold or flu
    • urinary tract infection (UTI)
    • increased urination
    • genital yeast infection in men
    • nausea
    • increased cholesterol levels

Serious side effects

The following list addresses the serious side effects of Jardiance or Farxiga that both drugs share.

Note: For more information about mild and serious side effects, see the Medical News Today articles on Jardiance and Farxiga.

Jardiance and Farxiga work in the same way in your body, and the same warnings apply to both of them. Some of these warnings are mentioned below. Before you start using Jardiance or Farxiga, be sure to talk with your doctor to see if these warnings apply to you.

Warnings for Jardiance and Farxiga include:

  • Kidney disease. Both of these drugs can cause kidney damage. If you already have problems with your kidneys, these drugs could make it worse. Talk with your doctor about whether these drugs are safe for you. If you have severe kidney disease, you shouldn’t take Jardiance or Farxiga.
  • Dehydration and low blood pressure. Both of these drugs make you lose more fluid than usual. This can lead to dehydration and low blood pressure. If you’re older than 65 years, have kidney problems, or are taking diuretic drugs, you’re more likely to have this problem. Talk with your doctor about whether these drugs are right for you.
  • History of genital yeast infections. Both of these drugs can cause genital yeast infections, such as thrush. If you’ve had ongoing or recurrent genital yeast infections in the past, you may have a higher risk for these infections when using one of these drugs. Talk with your doctor about whether these drugs are right for you.
  • High cholesterol. Both of these drugs can increase your cholesterol level. If you already have high cholesterol, your doctor may want to monitor your cholesterol level while you take one of these drugs.

You might be interested in switching from Jardiance to Farxiga or vice versa. For instance, if one of the drugs doesn’t work well enough to control your blood sugar, you may consider switching. You might also wonder about switching if you have side effects that bother you from either of these drugs.

Switching between these drugs is possible, but your doctor may advise against it. This is because the drugs work in the same way and have very similar side effects. Therefore, you might not gain anything by switching.

If you’re concerned about whether your treatment is working or about side effects, talk with your doctor. They can let you know whether switching to Jardiance or Farxiga is a good option for you. Or they may recommend changing to a different type of diabetes drug instead.

Note: Never change your medications without your doctor’s approval and guidance.

Jardiance and Farxiga both come as tablets that you swallow once daily in the morning. They can be taken with or without food.

Jardiance tablets are available in strengths of 10 milligram (mg) and 25 mg. Farxiga tablets come in 5 mg and 10 mg strengths.

Your dosage for either drug will depend on the treatment plan your doctor prescribes for you.

Jardiance and Farxiga have different FDA-approved uses, but they’re both used to help control blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. They’re also both used to help prevent certain complications of heart disease in people with both type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Both drugs have been found to be effective for these uses.

For information about how these drugs performed in clinical studies, see the prescribing information for Jardiance and Farxiga.

Both drugs are recommended as treatment options for people with type 2 diabetes in guidelines from the American Diabetes Association.

How much Jardiance or Farxiga costs depends on the treatment plan your doctor prescribes, your insurance plan, and your pharmacy.

Both Jardiance and Farxiga are brand-name drugs. Neither medication comes in generic form. Brand-name medications are often more expensive than generics.

If you’re interested in taking Jardiance or Farxiga for type 2 diabetes, talk with your doctor. There’s little difference between these drugs, but your doctor can advise you on which might be more suitable for you. They can also help answer any questions you might have about taking either drug.

Points to consider when comparing Jardiance and Farxiga include:

  • Jardiance and Farxiga have similar side effects and warnings, and they’re both taken once per day.
  • The key difference between these drugs lies in the type of heart disease complications they’re approved to help prevent. Jardiance is approved to reduce the risk of death from heart attacks, stroke, and heart failure. Farxiga, on the other hand, is approved to reduce the risk of hospitalization from heart failure.

Note: For more information on type 2 diabetes, see Medical News Today’s list of diabetes articles.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today 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 other 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.