Medical experts have raised an alarm that there is a noticeable danger in taking canagliflozin (diabetes drug) together with statin Crestor. The experts, who made this discovery during a check routine on a diabetic patient, noted that, although it seems too early to make a conclusion on the issue, it is, however, important to alert the public on the need to stay safe.

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These drugs are already gaining dominance as millions of patients worldwide have already started taking them. While they might not be as harmful when administered separately, the likelihood that they might be prescribed together is what prompted this notice. 

Dr. David Juurlink, a Canadian pharmacologist and internal medicine doctor, practicing in Canada and in the US, has added his voice to this awareness-call. Dr. Juurlink is the head of the Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Division at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. He is also a medical toxicologist at the Ontario Poison Centre and a scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences.

In his words: “We think it is a potentially significant problem that warrants further investigation,” He, however, stressed that it will be too early to conclude that the drug combination is entirely bad as research and tests are still going on. 

He noted that what is expected of people at this point is to resist the temptation of combining the two drugs and wait for the final outcome of the research and tests. He said that the risk factors warranted them to send this warning signal. But people must not misconstrue their warning as telling them to completely write off the drugs. 

“It’s probably premature to say these drugs shouldn’t be taken at all. If you’re taking them already, do not stop them. Just ensure that you don’t combine them,” he said. “If physicians are going to prescribe these drugs, they need to be careful and not combine them yet. And for those that have already combined them, they should look out for any interaction that might result as an effect.”

Similarly, Dr. Akankasha Goyal, an endocrinologist at NYU Langone Health in New York City, joined in championing this health awareness. 

Dr. Goyal agreed that those already on medication should continue but endeavor to use them separately. She emphasized the fact that both drugs come with benefits like protecting the heart and kidney when used rightly. 

“The benefits of these medications are established. You have to try to mitigate any risk. Educate patients to contact their physicians if they have any symptoms when starting a new drug,” Goyal said. She added that the same advice also applies whenever one wants to start any new medication.

Diabetic patients are often advised to take statin as this helps them in the prevention of heart and kidney diseases. But reacting to this development, the American College of Cardiology has waded in with advice that aims at providing patients with alternative drugs.

They advised that people who have heart diseases and diabetes should take more of SGLT2 inhibitor such as Invokana

More of this awareness on the impact of this drug combination started when a 76-year-old woman suddenly developed complications that hampered her from walking, which was a direct effect of the toxin.

The patient had a history of kidney and heart diseases and type 2 diabetes. She had frequently taken a combination of canagliflozin and statin Crestor prior to the sudden complication. Upon examination, the doctors discovered that the level of statin Crestor in her blood was many times higher than a normal recommendation.

Juurlink concluded by saying: while the combination of both canagliflozin and statin Crestor is seen as the primary cause of this complication, it is possible that other factors might have contributed too.