Actos vs. Invokana

• Are Actos and Invokana the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Actos?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Invokana?
• What Is Actos?
• What Is Invokana?
• What Drugs Interact with Actos?
• What Drugs Interact with Invokana?
• How Should Actos Be Taken?
• How Should Invokana Be Taken?

Actos (pioglitazone hydrochloride) and Invokana (canagliflozin) are used to manage type 2 diabetes.

Actos and Invokana belong to different drug classes. Actos is a thiazolidinedione and Invokana is a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor.

Common side effects of Actos include:

• cold or flu-like symptoms (such as stuffy nose, sneezing, cough, sore throat),
• headache,
• gradual weight gain,
• muscle pain,
• back pain,
• tooth problems, and
• mouth pain.

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Actos including:

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• stomach pain,
• blood in the urine,
• dark urine,
• painful urination,
• urinating more than usual,
• shortness of breath, even with mild exertion,
• swelling or rapid weight gain,
• chest pain,
• feeling unwell (malaise),
• nausea,
• upper stomach pain,
• itching,
• loss of appetite,
• clay-colored stools,
• blurred vision,
• increased thirst or hunger,
• pale skin,
• easy bruising or bleeding,
• weakness,
• yellowing skin or eyes (jaundice), and
• vision changes or loss.

Common side effects of Invokana include:

• urinary tract infections,
• increased urination,
• yeast infections,
• vaginal itching,
• thirst,
• constipation,
• nausea,
• fatigue,
• weakness,
• skin sensitivity to sunlight,
• hypersensitivity reactions (including skin redness, rash, itching, hives, and swelling),
• bone fractures, and
• kidney problems.

Actos (pioglitazone hydrochloride) is a thiazolidinedione and increases the body's sensitivity to insulin. Actos is used for type 2 diabetes, not type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. Generic Actos is not available in the U.S., but is available in other countries as pioglitazone.

Invokana (canagliflozin) is a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor used to control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus, in addition to diet and exercise.

Actos and other similar drugs may exacerbate symptoms of congestive heart failure (dyspnea, edema, weight gain) and these symptoms may be serious. Patients with congestive heart failure classified as III or IV (NY Heart Association) should not take this Actos. Other serious side effects of Actos include nausea, vomiting, jaundice, and vision changes or loss; it may also cause hypoglycemia.

Invokana may interact with rifampin or digoxin. Tell your doctor all medications you use. Invokana should only be given to a pregnant woman if the benefit of the drug justifies the risk of harm to the fetus.

Actos is available as tablets in strengths of 15, 30 or 45 mg. Dose is dependent on patient response and the prescribing doctor's clinical judgment; glucose tests may help determine doses.

The recommended starting dose of Invokana is 100 mg once daily, taken before the first meal of the day. Doses may be increased to 300 mg in patients who are able to tolerate Invokana at 100 mg doses.