Empagliflozin is a prescription medication used to manage certain health conditions. It is taken once daily in tablet form.
What is Empagliflozin
Empagliflozin, commonly known as Jardiance, is a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. It helps manage blood sugar levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Empagliflozin can be prescribed alone or in combination with other diabetes medications, such as metformin or insulin. Combination medications like Synjardy (empagliflozin and metformin) or Glyxambi (empagliflozin and linagliptin) are also available. Empagliflozin is approved for adults and, as of June 2023, for children aged 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes.
Conditions Empagliflozin Treats
Empagliflozin is primarily prescribed for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus, identified by ICD-10 codes in the E11.xx range. It helps lower blood glucose by assisting the kidneys in removing excess sugar through urine.
Empagliflozin is also approved to treat heart failure, with associated ICD-10 codes in the I50.xx series. For adults with heart failure, it helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization. The medication can help improve the heart’s pumping ability by reducing sodium and fluid retention, enhancing the heart’s energy use, and potentially reversing cardiac enlargement.
Empagliflozin is additionally indicated for chronic kidney disease (CKD), categorized under ICD-10 codes in the N18.xx range. For adults with CKD at risk of progression, it can reduce the risk of sustained decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), end-stage kidney disease, cardiovascular death, and hospitalization. This medication has demonstrated kidney and cardiovascular benefits in a broad spectrum of CKD patients, including those with and without diabetes.
How Empagliflozin Works
Empagliflozin works by inhibiting sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) proteins in the kidneys’ proximal tubules. Normally, SGLT2 proteins reabsorb about 90% of filtered glucose back into the bloodstream. By blocking these, empagliflozin prevents glucose reabsorption, leading to increased glucose excretion in urine, a process called glucosuria.
This mechanism lowers blood glucose levels, independent of insulin. The medication also reduces sodium and fluid volume, contributing to its cardiovascular and renal protective effects. Empagliflozin can lower systolic blood pressure by approximately 3-5 mmHg due to its diuretic and natriuretic properties, without causing a compensatory increase in heart rate.
Understanding ICD-10 in Medical Care
ICD-10, or the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, is a standardized system developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for classifying and coding diagnoses, symptoms, and procedures. Healthcare professionals use these codes for medical record-keeping, billing purposes, and tracking health statistics. This coding system provides a common language for health conditions globally, allowing for consistent collection and analysis of health information. While patients do not directly use these codes, they are fundamental for doctors to accurately document the conditions for which care is provided. The detailed nature of ICD-10 codes, which are more specific than previous versions, allows for better tracking of patient conditions, treatment efficacy, and healthcare costs.