Actos vs. Jardiance

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

Actos (pioglitazone hydrochloride) and Jardiance (empagliflozin) are used to treat type 2 diabetes.

Jardiance is also indicated to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death in adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.

Actos and Jardiance are different types of diabetes drugs. Actos is a thiazolidinedione and Jardiance 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 Jardiance include:

• dehydration,
• dizziness,
• lightheadedness,
• weakness,
• yeast infection,
• low blood sugar,
• nausea,
• upper respiratory tract infection,
• high cholesterol,
• joint pain,
• increased urination,
• urinary tract infection,
• thirst, and
• low blood pressure (hypotension).

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.

Jardiance (empagliflozin) is an inhibitor of the sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) used as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Jardiance is also indicated to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death in adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.

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.

Jardiance may interact with diuretics, insulin or insulin secretagogues. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. During pregnancy, Jardiance should be taken only if prescribed. It is unknown if this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

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 dose of Jardiance is 10 mg once daily in the morning, taken with or without food.