canagliflozin vs lithium
Side-by-side comparison of canagliflozin and lithium. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
Lithium Clinical Impact: Concomitant use of an SGLT2 inhibitor with lithium may decrease serum lithium concentrations. Intervention: Monitor serum lithium concentration more frequently during INVOKANA initiation and dosage changes.
Recommendation: Your doctor should check your lithium blood levels more often when you start or change your dose of canagliflozin.
Invokana
Lithobid, Eskalith
Invokana is a medicine used with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. It can also help reduce the risk of heart problems and kidney disease in some patients.
Lithium is a mood stabilizer medicine. It helps to balance mood swings.
Invokana is used to help control blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is used along with diet and exercise. Invokana can also lower the risk of major heart problems like heart attack and stroke in adults with both type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It can also reduce the risk of kidney failure, heart-related death, and hospitalization for heart failure in adults with type 2 diabetes and kidney problems.
Lithium is used to treat bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration. Lithium helps to control the extreme highs (mania) and lows (depression) of this condition.
Invokana is a type of medicine called an SGLT2 inhibitor. It works by preventing your kidneys from reabsorbing sugar back into your blood. This causes extra sugar to leave your body through your urine, which lowers your blood sugar levels.
Lithium affects the flow of sodium in nerve and muscle cells in the body. This helps to stabilize your mood. It may also affect other chemical messenger systems in the brain.
- • Yeast infections of the vagina
- • Urinary tract infection
- • Increased urination
- • Tremor (shaking)
- • Nausea
- • Increased weight
- • Fatigue (feeling tired)
- • Vomiting
- Diabetic ketoacidosis (high levels of ketones in the blood) 3,421
- Toe amputation 2,195
- Bone infection 2,163
- Sudden kidney damage 1,990
- Fungal infection 1,446
- Poisoning from different substances 2,179
- The drug is reacting with another medicine 1,526
- Shaking 1,463
- Feeling sick to your stomach 1,344
- Gaining weight 1,153
Invokana can cause serious side effects, including: - Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA): This is a serious condition where your body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones. DKA can be life-threatening. - Lower limb amputation: Invokana may increase your risk of needing an amputation of your foot or leg. - Volume depletion: Invokana can cause dehydration, which can lead to kidney problems and low blood pressure. - Serious infections: Invokana can increase your risk of urinary tract infections and a rare but serious infection of the tissue under the skin in the area between and around the anus and genitals (Fournier's gangrene).
Lithium levels in your blood need to be monitored closely by your doctor. Too much lithium can be toxic and cause serious side effects. Make sure to attend all scheduled blood tests.
Invokana is not recommended during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy because it may harm the developing baby's kidneys. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not recommended to use Invokana while breastfeeding.
Lithium can harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Lithium can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you are taking lithium.
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How to Read This canagliflozin vs lithium Comparison
canagliflozin is classified in the SGLT2 Inhibitor drug class, while lithium sits within the Mood Stabilizer class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, canagliflozin has 11,215 submissions while lithium has 7,665. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to canagliflozin can cause the body to remove lithium more quickly, which lowers the amount of lithium in your blood.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between canagliflozin and lithium - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.