Glyxambi interactions: Alcohol, medications, and other factors

Glyxambi interactions with other medications  

Before you start treatment with Glyxambi, tell your doctor and pharmacist which prescription, over-the-counter (OTC), and other medications you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Glyxambi interacts with supplements, herbs, or vitamins, see the “Glyxambi and other interactions” section.)

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Here’s a table of drugs that can interact with Glyxambi. Keep in mind that this table doesn’t include all drugs that may interact with Glyxambi. Some of these interactions are described in detail in “Drug interactions in depth.”

When to avoid Glyxambi

In some cases, factors or conditions could prevent your doctor from prescribing Glyxambi due to the risk of harm. These are known as contraindications. The contraindications of Glyxambi include:

Receiving dialysis

Doctors typically will not prescribe Glyxambi if you have severe kidney problems and receive dialysis.

Glyxambi is a combination of two drugs — empagliflozin and linagliptin. Empagliflozin works by helping your kidneys remove extra sugar from your body. However, in people with severe kidney problems or who receive dialysis, the kidneys aren’t working well enough to effectively remove sugar from your body.

Glyxambi treatment may also further worsen kidney damage and increase the risk of side effects from the drug, such as dehydration and urinary tract infection (UTI).

If you receive dialysis, your doctor will likely prescribe a treatment other than Glyxambi for your condition.

Having had an allergic reaction to Glyxambi or any of its ingredients

If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Glyxambi or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Glyxambi. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

Note:Before you start treatment with Glyxambi, it’s important to tell your doctor if these contraindications apply to you. They can determine whether to prescribe Glyxambi.

Glyxambi interaction with alcohol

Glyxambi and alcohol aren’t known to interact. However, your doctor may advise you to avoid or limit alcohol consumption during Glyxambi treatment.

This is because both alcohol and Glyxambi can lower your blood sugar, leading to an increased risk of severe low blood sugar. In addition, frequent alcohol use while taking Glyxambi can increase the risk of side effects, such as ketoacidosis (high ketones in the blood). This is a rare but life threatening side effect of Glyxambi.

If you consume alcohol during Glyxambi treatment, these side effects may be more likely to occur. If you have questions about drinking alcohol while taking Glyxambi, talk with your doctor.

Drug interactions in depth

Here’s a closer look at certain drug interactions of Glyxambi.

Sulfonylureas

Sulfonylureas are prescribed to lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.

Interaction result: Taking a sulfonylurea and Glyxambi together may increase the risk of low blood sugar. Severe low blood sugar can be life threatening.

Interaction explained: Both sulfonylureas and Glyxambi lower blood sugar. Taking them together can cause your blood sugar to become too low.

Examples of sulfonylurea drugs: Here are some sulfonylureas that may interact with Glyxambi:

• glipizide (Glucotrol)
• glimepiride (Amaryl)
• glyburide (Glynase, Diabeta)

Steps you or your doctor may take: Be sure to tell your doctor if you’re taking a sulfonylurea drug before starting treatment with Glyxambi. If your doctor prescribes Glyxambi, they may decrease your sulfonylurea dose. This may help prevent your blood sugar from getting too low.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about taking Glyxambi and a sulfonylurea together.

Diuretics

Diuretics are often prescribed for high blood pressure or edema (fluid buildup).

Interaction result: Taking Glyxambi with a diuretic can increase your risk of dehydration.

Interaction explained: Both Glyxambi and diuretics work through the kidneys and can cause you to urinate more frequently than usual. This can cause too much fluid loss in the body leading to dehydration or low blood pressure.

Examples of diuretic drugs: Here are some diuretics that may interact with Glyxambi:

• furosemide (Lasix)
• hydrochlorothiazide
• chlorthalidone
• spironolactone (Aldactone)

Steps you or your doctor may take: It’s important to tell your doctor if you’re taking a diuretic before starting treatment with Glyxambi. If your doctor prescribes Glyxambi, they’ll likely order a blood test to check how well your kidneys are working before starting treatment with Glyxambi. They’ll also monitor you for symptoms of dehydration.

To learn more about taking these medications together, talk with your doctor.

Lithium

Lithium is prescribed to treat mood disorders such as bipolar disorder and mania.

Interaction result: Taking Glyxambi and lithium together may result in decreased lithium levels in the body. A lower level of lithium may make the drug less effective at treating your condition.

Interaction explained: Glyxambi works through the kidneys and can change the amount of lithium your body clears. Specifically, your body may remove more lithium than usual resulting in lower levels of the drug in your body.

Steps you or your doctor may take: Your doctor will likely monitor your lithium levels more frequently after you start taking Glyxambi. They’ll continue checking the level, especially if they change your Glyxambi dosage. They may need to adjust your lithium dose to make sure you’re getting the amount needed to treat your condition.

If you have questions about taking lithium and Glyxambi together, talk with your doctor.

Glyxambi and other interactions

Glyxambi may have other interactions, such as with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. You’ll find details below. Keep in mind that the following information does not include all other possible interactions with Glyxambi.

Glyxambi interactions with supplements

It’s possible for drugs to interact with supplements such as vitamins and herbs.

Glyxambi interactions with herbs

There are no specific reports of herbs interacting with Glyxambi. However, that doesn’t mean herbal interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during Glyxambi treatment.

Glyxambi interactions with vitamins

There are no specific reports of vitamins interacting with Glyxambi but future studies may reveal interactions. Because of this, you should talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any vitamin product with Glyxambi.

Glyxambi interactions with food

There were no reports of food interactions with Glyxambi. If you’d like to learn more about eating certain foods during treatment with Glyxambi, talk with your doctor.

Glyxambi interactions with vaccines

There aren’t any known interactions between Glyxambi and vaccines. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to see whether you’re due for any vaccines.

Glyxambi interactions with lab tests

Glyxambi may interact with certain lab tests. Specifically, it may interact with certain tests doctors use to monitor your diabetes management. These include:

• urine glucose, which is a test that measures the amount of glucose (sugar) in your urine
• 1,5-anhydroglucitol (GlycoMark), which is a test that estimates your average blood sugar levels after meals over the past 1 to 2 weeks

If you take Glyxambi, your doctor will use different tests to collect this information.

GLYXAMBI INTERACTION WITH CANNABIS OR CBD

Cannabis (often called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have not been specifically reported to interact with Glyxambi. However, as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis in combination with Glyxambi. The impact of cannabis may affect how well you stick to your Glyxambi treatment plan.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Glyxambi and health-related interactions

Certain medical conditions and other factors may increase the risk of interactions with Glyxambi. Before you take this drug, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Glyxambi may not be the right treatment option if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.

Health conditions or factors that might interact with Glyxambi include:

• Type 1 diabetes: If you have type 1 diabetes, taking Glyxambi could increase the risk of ketoacidosis (high ketones in your blood), which can be serious. Because of this, doctors typically will not prescribe Glyxambi to manage type 1 diabetes. Your doctor can recommend a safer treatment option for you.
• Severe kidney problems: If you have severe kidney problems, Glyxambi treatment may increase your risk of side effects. Your doctor can determine if Glyxambi is a safe option for treating your diabetes.
• Pancreas problems: Using Glyxambi may cause pancreatitis (inflammation of the liver). If you have pancreas problems, including a history of pancreatitis, it’s possible treatment with Glyxambi could further raise your risk of developing this condition. Tell your doctor if you currently have pancreas problems or had them in the past. They’ll determine whether Glyxambi is right for you.
• Frequent genital infections or UTIs: If you have a history of UTIs or frequent genital infections, such as a vaginal or penile yeast infection, talk with your doctor before starting treatment with Glyxambi. Using Glyxambi can further increase the risk of such infections. Talk with your doctor if you develop symptoms of an infection in your genital area. They may recommend an OTC treatment.
• Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Glyxambi or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Glyxambi. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
• Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether it’s safe to take Glyxambi while breastfeeding. There isn’t enough information to determine whether the drug passes into breast milk or what effects Glyxambi may have on a child who is breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to, talk with your doctor before using Glyxambi. They can talk with you about treatment options and ways to feed a child who is breastfed.
• Pregnancy: There haven’t been enough clinical trials to determine whether Glyxambi is safe to take while pregnant. Animal studies show that the drug may cause congenital anomalies (commonly known as birth defects) or pregnancy loss. However, it’s important to note that animal studies do not always indicate what may happen in humans. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, tell your doctor before starting Glyxambi. They can advise you on the right treatment plan for you.

FAQs about Glyxambi and interactions

Here are some frequently asked questions about Glyxambi and possible interactions.

Is it OK to take Glyxambi and metformin together?

Yes, doctors may sometimes prescribe Glyxambi along with metformin to help lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. In fact, metformin was included in some clinical trials of Glyxambi to study its effectiveness when used together.

If your doctor prescribes Glyxambi, they may adjust the doses of your other diabetes medications, including metformin. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about taking Glyxambi and metformin together.

Do I need to drink more water while taking Glyxambi?

It’s important to stay hydrated during treatment with Glyxambi. This is because Glyxambi can cause you to urinate more, which can lead to dehydration.

Other factors that cause you to urinate more can also increase your risk of dehydration. These factors include kidney problems and taking other drugs such as diuretics. (See “Drug interactions in depth” for details about diuretics and Glyxambi.)

Dehydration can increase your risk of serious side effects of Glyxambi, such as kidney problems, low blood pressure, and ketoacidosis.

Talk with your doctor if you have questions about ways to prevent dehydration, including how much water you should drink daily.

Preventing interactions

You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with Glyxambi. Your doctor and pharmacist are key resources, so reach out to them before starting treatment. For example, you should plan to do the following:

• Let them know if you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
• Tell them about any other medications you take, as well as any supplements, herbs, and vitamins.
• Create a medication list, which your doctor and pharmacist can help you fill out.

It’s also important to read the Glyxambi label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. The label may have colored stickers that mention an interaction. And the paperwork, sometimes called the medication guide or patient package insert, may contain details about interactions.

If Glyxambi doesn’t come with paperwork, you can ask your pharmacist to print a copy. If you need help reading or understanding this information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

You can also help prevent interactions with Glyxambi by taking it exactly as your doctor prescribes.

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 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.