Prescription medication · Biguanide / SGLT2 Combination
metformin/empagliflozin
Also sold as Synjardy. Synjardy is used to treat type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 years and older.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 164,328
- FDA reports
- 9
- InteractionsFew interactions
- $9.77
- Brand price (NADAC)
What the data shows
metformin/empagliflozin (Synjardy) is a prescription Biguanide / SGLT2 Combination, with 164,328 FDA adverse-event reports on file, with 9 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
metformin/empagliflozin (Synjardy) is a prescription Biguanide / SGLT2 Combination. Synjardy is used to treat type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 years and older.
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.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$9.77/unit
Generic Available
No
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Synjardy is used to treat type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 years and older.
Common side effects
Urinary tract infections, Yeast infections of the vagina, Diarrhea
Key warnings
Metformin can cause a serious side effect called lactic acidosis.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from metformin/empagliflozin's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
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.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 164,328 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for metformin/empagliflozin, by number of reports
- Feeling sick to your stomach
Feeling sick to your stomach
21,946 reports
- Loose or watery stools
Loose or watery stools
21,887 reports
- High blood sugar
High blood sugar
18,329 reports
- Feeling tired
Feeling tired
17,252 reports
- Sudden damage to the kidneys
Sudden damage to the kidneys
16,440 reports
- Build-up of lactic acid in the blood
Build-up of lactic acid in the blood
16,154 reports
- Throwing up
Throwing up
14,692 reports
- Difficulty breathing
Difficulty breathing
13,511 reports
- Feeling lightheaded
Feeling lightheaded
12,132 reports
- Weight loss
Weight loss
11,985 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Serious Warnings
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.
Known Drug Interactions
Drugs that Reduce Metformin Clearance Clinical Impact Concomitant use of drugs that interfere with common renal tubular transport systems involved in the renal elimination of metformin (e.g., organic cationic transporter-2 [OCT2] / multidrug and toxin extrusion [MATE] inhibitors such as ranolazine, vandetanib, dolutegravir, and cimetidine) could increase systemic exposure to metformin and may increase the risk for lactic acidosis [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . Alcohol Clinical Impact Alcohol is known to potentiate the effect of metformin on lactate metabolism. ( 7 ) Drugs that...
Mechanism: Taking substances that interfere with how the kidneys remove metformin can cause the drug to build up to dangerous levels. This increases the risk of a serious condition where too much acid builds up in the blood.
Drugs that Reduce Metformin Clearance Clinical Impact Concomitant use of drugs that interfere with common renal tubular transport systems involved in the renal elimination of metformin (e.g., organic cationic transporter-2 [OCT2] / multidrug and toxin extrusion [MATE] inhibitors such as ranolazine, vandetanib, dolutegravir, and cimetidine) could increase systemic exposure to metformin and may increase the risk for lactic acidosis [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] .
Mechanism: Dolutegravir blocks the specific pumps in the kidneys that remove metformin from the body. This can cause metformin levels to rise, increasing the risk of a dangerous acid buildup.
Drugs that Reduce Metformin Clearance Clinical Impact Concomitant use of drugs that interfere with common renal tubular transport systems involved in the renal elimination of metformin (e.g., organic cationic transporter-2 [OCT2] / multidrug and toxin extrusion [MATE] inhibitors such as ranolazine, vandetanib, dolutegravir, and cimetidine) could increase systemic exposure to metformin and may increase the risk for lactic acidosis [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] .
Mechanism: Ranolazine stops the kidneys from filtering metformin out of the blood as quickly as they should. This can lead to high levels of metformin and a higher risk of side effects.
Drugs that Reduce Metformin Clearance Clinical Impact Concomitant use of drugs that interfere with common renal tubular transport systems involved in the renal elimination of metformin (e.g., organic cationic transporter-2 [OCT2] / multidrug and toxin extrusion [MATE] inhibitors such as ranolazine, vandetanib, dolutegravir, and cimetidine) could increase systemic exposure to metformin and may increase the risk for lactic acidosis [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] .
Mechanism: Cimetidine interferes with the way your kidneys get rid of metformin, which can cause the drug to stay in your body longer. This increases the chance of developing a serious condition called lactic acidosis.
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS See Table 4 for clinically relevant interactions with SYNJARDY or SYNJARDY XR. 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. Concomitant use of these drugs with SYNJARDY or SYNJARDY XR may increase the risk of lactic acidosis.
Mechanism: Taking certain medications like topiramate along with your diabetes medicine can lower your blood's ability to balance acid. This increases the risk of a serious condition called lactic acidosis.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
What should I do if I experience severe stomach pain?
Can I drink alcohol while taking Synjardy?
Will Synjardy cause me to lose weight?
How often will my doctor check my kidneys?
Can Synjardy be used for type 1 diabetes?
What if I need surgery?
Does Synjardy interact with other medications?
What are the symptoms of low blood sugar?
How does Synjardy affect my heart?
Can children take Synjardy?
What are the common side effects of metformin/empagliflozin?
Does metformin/empagliflozin interact with other medications?
What drug class is metformin/empagliflozin?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for metformin/empagliflozin?
Related Medications in Biguanide / SGLT2 Combination
Other drugs grouped near metformin/empagliflozin - same-class peers and common alternatives.
acarbose
Precose
Acarbose is a medicine that helps lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
Compare with metformin/empagliflozin →
alogliptin
Nesina
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bromocriptine
Cycloset
Bromocriptine (Cycloset) is a medicine that acts like dopamine in your body.
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canagliflozin
Invokana
Invokana is a medicine used with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Compare with metformin/empagliflozin →
colesevelam
Welchol
Colesevelam is a medicine that helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL-C) and control blood sugar in adults.
Compare with metformin/empagliflozin →
Medication Guides
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FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for metformin/empagliflozin
The FDA label for metformin/empagliflozin (sold under brand names such as Synjardy) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Biguanide / SGLT2 Combination class. Synjardy is used to treat type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 years and older. Official labeling lists 10 commonly reported side effects, including Urinary tract infections, Yeast infections of the vagina, Diarrhea.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 164,328 voluntary reports. The database also lists 9 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: January 30, 2026
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages