Forxiga. Dapagliflozin. Due to start this drug. Any good? Sides? How does it actually work for the heart? Any improvements?

The information leaflet says it helps diabetes by removing excess sugar in the body thus helping treat that condition. For heart failure it just says it helps protect the heart from getting weaker. It can help patients live longer. But it does not actually say how this works. Can anyone explain?

I read the study involving 3000 patients. Half were given placebo, half this drug. 17% on the placebo needed hospital care or died. whereas only 14% on this drug hospitalised/died. Now, I am not too clued up on medical trials, but 3% difference in a small group of 3000 doesn't seem too good of a difference to justify this drug. Can anyone clear this up for me?

How long have you been on this and has it improved things? Feel any fitter? Ejection rate improved? Any nasty sides to watch out for?

Thank you

[andrea_waffle7]

I have been on Dapaglozin for 12 months. I have amazing results for heart failure. My ejection fraction has gone from 26% to 45% in 12 months. Only side effects to be aware of is drinking plenty of water. But other than that I have been fine, my cardiologist has says I will probably be on this for life. Fine by me if it does the job. Good luck.

[Hidden in reply to andrea_waffle7]

oh that's great improvement. Is that improvement down to this drug being taken? Really hope it works.

[Hrty]

The trial is ongoing, I'm on it although it's double blind so neither me or the trial team doing my reviews know whether I'm taking the drug or placebo.

[jrcsheffield in reply to Hrty]

Hope you are doing ok? I was one of the early double blind triallists for Dapa, the trial has now finished (last june?) I am still waiting to find out if I was on Dapa or the placebo.The timeline for finding out seems to keep slipping, is this the same for you? For full story read my profile if you wish..thnx john

[Heather1957]

I have been prescribed empagliflozin which is supposed to remove the sugar from my body, I wonder if it is from the same drug family?

[Hidden in reply to Heather1957]

Yes i believe it is. Do you take this for heart failure ?

[Heather1957 in reply to Hidden]

I was prescribed it for both, my GP said that people with diabetes and who have heart problems (I have had a bypass and 2 stents fitted) should be prescribed with this.

I am not aware it has caused me any side effects.

[am1875 in reply to Heather1957]

Hi. May I please ask how long you’ve been prescribed Farxiga. Thank you.

[Prada47]

Hello

I tend to work on the basis if NICE have authorised a medication for Heart Failure it has gone through all the available data, so no need to try to work it out for yourself !!

I have been on Dapagliflozin for almost a year with no side affects, I do also take Entresto, Bisoprolol etc. I don't know if Dapa has made any noticeable improvement to my EF, which is not to bad currently at 38% it has varied between 27% up to 44% and as my Heart Nurse says your EF is of no great concern, it how you feel that matters. Dapagliflozin may not improve things but I try to believe it may stop me getting worse or even prevent a hospitalisation.

In my particular case I have been better since the Intervention Cardiologist opened my already bypassed LAD a bit drastic to say the least, but it appears to have worked. The difficulty in answering your question is we are all different and we may have had different procedures, so along with the Medication it has to be how we feel that matters. Only thing to watch with dapa is to make sure you keep your self clean to prevent a bout of Thrush lol and if that's the only thing you need to watch for your doing well.

Regards

[Hidden in reply to Prada47]

Yes. Great advice. Thank you

[bwiltshi in reply to Prada47]

I am much the same, no obvious improvement, but I continue to feel pretty well. Big upside was that I lost a good stone in weight, which allowed me to keep my weight at a very good level while allowing me to be a little more relaxed over the size of my meals. 🙂

[Sally_Scott]

hi. I’ve just been prescribed this drug for my diabetes along with another drug I’ve been on for years. I haven’t started taking it yet as had open heart surgery 5 weeks ago and am trying to recover from that first. I was told by gp that you wee sugar but are prone to uti’s and thrush.

[Hidden in reply to Sally_Scott]

Oh good luck and Get well soon

[Dave678]

I’ve been on Dapagliflozin (along with Entresto, Bisoprolol etc) for over a year now and pleasing that EF gone from 30-35 initially to 35-40 now + feel fine ie not short of breath or swelling ankles etc. Only drawback is mild thrush symptoms which I take Cranberry tabs and use Canestan cream to sort. Good luck

[Hidden in reply to Dave678]

Ah ok. I will try Cranberry to maybe help prevent this., Thank you

[Fred1954]

Dapa was added to Entresto and Eplerenone month on month with blood tests between by the heart failure clinic starting a year ago. Ramipril was stopped but I still take Bisoprolol and Apixaban. The upshot was that one year on my EF has improved from 31% to 43%, but I've no clue as to which drug did what! No particular side effects of note other than low blood pressure.

[Bingo88]

My Kidney specialist has mentioned only this week about going on Dapagliflozin. To slow down my worsening Kidney function. But one of the side effects is Urinary Tract Infections which also make your Kidney function worse. Brian

[Anon2023]

hi. I’ve been on Dapagliflozin, entresto and spirolactone for 7 months for moderate heart failure. My EF was 44 and now it’s 53. The cardiologist wrote to me last week telling me that my results from a recent scan were favourable and reassuring. I don’t know if my EF will continue to improve but it’s virtually in the normal range now which is fantastic. I’m extremely lucky that I’ve had no side effects other than peeing more than usual but I think that’s the spirolactone. If you are offered these meds they are well worth trying. Good luck.

[Aoki]

I've recently started Dapaglifozin on advice of heart failure clinic. I'm pretty restricted with what I can take for HF because my kidneys are in poor shapen too. I'm very pleased with this med. No side effects at all and feeling quite a lot better than before -- though admittedly it's a bit early to say for sure. One notable good thing has been that my ankle swelling improved almost immediately.

[Hidden in reply to Aoki]

Thats excellent news. Ty