lithium vs metformin/empagliflozin
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Side-by-side comparison of lithium and metformin/empagliflozin. 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 SYNJARDY or SYNJARDY XR initiation and dosage changes.
Lithobid, Eskalith
Synjardy
Lithium is a mood stabilizer medicine. It helps to balance mood swings.
Synjardy is a drug that combines empagliflozin and metformin. It helps lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, along with diet and exercise.
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.
Synjardy is used to treat type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 years and older. It helps control blood sugar levels when used with diet and exercise. Empagliflozin, one of the drugs in Synjardy, can also lower the risk of heart-related death in adults with heart disease. It can also lower the risk of heart failure and kidney problems in adults with heart failure or chronic kidney disease.
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.
Synjardy contains two medicines that work in different ways. Empagliflozin helps your kidneys remove sugar from your blood through urine. Metformin lowers the amount of sugar your liver makes and helps your body use insulin better.
- • Tremor (shaking)
- • Nausea
- • Increased weight
- • Fatigue (feeling tired)
- • Vomiting
- • Urinary tract infections
- • Yeast infections of the vagina
- • Diarrhea
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- Toxicity To Various Agents 2,179
- Drug Interaction 1,526
- Tremor 1,462
- Nausea 1,344
- Weight Increased 1,153
- Feeling sick to your stomach 21,946
- Loose or watery stools 21,887
- High blood sugar 18,329
- Feeling tired 17,252
- Sudden damage to the kidneys 16,440
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.
Metformin can cause a serious side effect called lactic acidosis. This is a buildup of lactic acid in your blood. It can be life-threatening. Get medical help right away if you have symptoms like feeling very weak, muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain, dizziness, or a slow or irregular heartbeat.
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.
Synjardy may harm your unborn baby, especially during the second and third trimesters. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not recommended to breastfeed while taking Synjardy.
How to Read This lithium vs metformin/empagliflozin Comparison
lithium is classified in the Mood Stabilizer drug class, while metformin/empagliflozin sits within the Biguanide / SGLT2 Combination 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, lithium has 7,664 submissions while metformin/empagliflozin has 95,854. 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 empagliflozin can cause the body to remove lithium through the urine 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 represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for lithium or metformin/empagliflozin.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.