metformin/empagliflozin vs zonisamide

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Side-by-side comparison of metformin/empagliflozin and zonisamide. 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

Table 4 Clinically Relevant Interactions with SYNJARDY or SYNJARDY XR Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors Clinical Impact Topiramate or other carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (e.g., zonisamide, acetazolamide or dichlorphenamide) frequently causes a decrease in serum bicarbonate and induce non-anion gap, hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis.

Drug Class
metformin/empagliflozin Biguanide / SGLT2 Combination
zonisamide Anticonvulsant (Sulfonamide)
Type
metformin/empagliflozin Prescription
zonisamide Prescription
Summary
metformin/empagliflozin

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.

zonisamide

Zonisamide is a medicine used with other medicines to treat partial seizures in adults with epilepsy. It belongs to a class of drugs called anticonvulsants.

What It Treats
metformin/empagliflozin

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.

zonisamide

Zonisamide is used to treat partial seizures in adults who have epilepsy. Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes repeated seizures. This medicine is used along with other seizure medicines to help control your seizures.

How It Works
metformin/empagliflozin

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.

zonisamide

Zonisamide works by slowing down the electrical signals in the brain that cause seizures. It is thought to stabilize nerve cell membranes, which reduces the chance of seizures. It may also affect certain chemicals in the brain.

Common Side Effects
metformin/empagliflozin
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Yeast infections of the vagina
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
zonisamide
  • Feeling sleepy
  • Loss of appetite
  • Dizziness
  • Problems with coordination
  • Feeling agitated or irritable
FAERS Reports
metformin/empagliflozin
  • 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
zonisamide
  • Seizure 1,574
  • Fatigue 697
  • Somnolence 645
  • Convulsion 623
  • Dizziness 558
Serious Warnings
metformin/empagliflozin

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.

zonisamide

If you are allergic to sulfonamide medicines, you should not take zonisamide. Using zonisamide with other medicines that also inhibit carbonic anhydrase (like topiramate) can increase the risk of metabolic acidosis, kidney stones, and high ammonia levels in the blood.

Pregnancy
metformin/empagliflozin

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.

zonisamide

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if zonisamide will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking zonisamide during pregnancy. It is also not known if zonisamide passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor before breastfeeding.

How to Read This metformin/empagliflozin vs zonisamide Comparison

metformin/empagliflozin is classified in the Biguanide / SGLT2 Combination drug class, while zonisamide sits within the Anticonvulsant (Sulfonamide) 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, metformin/empagliflozin has 95,854 submissions while zonisamide has 4,097. 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 zonisamide can cause an acid buildup in the blood, which increases the risk of a serious condition called metabolic acidosis when taken with metformin.. 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 metformin/empagliflozin or zonisamide.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.