Drug

Empagliflozin

Empagliflozin is an SGLT2 inhibitor used in heart failure, chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes.

Sources: FDA label · 19 registered trials · 1 guideline recommendation

Empagliflozin at a glance

SGLT2 Inhibitors

Mechanism: sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor · FDA label (DailyMed)

Guideline:Class I · LOE AHeart failure

FDA-approved indications

To reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure in adults with heart failure.
To reduce the risk of sustained decline in eGFR, end-stage kidney disease, cardiovascular death, and hospitalization in adults with chronic kidney disease at risk of progression.
To reduce the risk of cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and established cardiovascular disease.

Guideline position

Heart failure

Class I · LOE A2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA HF Guideline
In patients with symptomatic chronic HFrEF, SGLT2i are recommended to reduce hospitalization for HF and cardiovascular mortality, irrespective of the presence of type 2 diabetes.

FDA actions

4 generic approvals naming empagliflozin on record (FDA; tentative approvals and combination products included), latest Sep 22, 2026.

1 other approval naming empagliflozin without one of its brands (another manufacturer's product, such as a new dosage form), latest Sep 17, 2026.

Landmark trials

Primary results of 4 trials behind the evidence on empagliflozin, as each trial’s own publication reports them.

Left of the line at 1 favours the intervention; square size tracks trial size.Favours the interventionNo significant differenceFavours the comparator

0.512

EMPA-KIDNEY
empagliflozin vs placebo · 6,609 patients · N Engl J Med 2023
In patients with chronic kidney disease who were at risk for disease progression
Primary outcome: a composite of progression of kidney disease (defined as end-stage kidney disease, a sustained decrease in eGFR to <10 ml per minute per 1.73 m2, a sustained decrease in eGFR of ≥40% from baseline, or death from renal causes) or death from cardiovascular causes
HR 0.72 (0.64–0.82)
EMPEROR-Preserved
empagliflozin vs placebo · 5,988 patients · N Engl J Med 2021
In patients with heart failure and a preserved ejection fraction
Primary outcome: a composite of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure
HR 0.79 (0.69–0.90)
EMPEROR-Reduced
empagliflozin vs placebo · 3,730 patients · N Engl J Med 2020
In patients with class II, III, or IV heart failure and an ejection fraction of 40% or less
Primary outcome: a composite of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for worsening heart failure
HR 0.75 (0.65–0.86)
EMPA-REG OUTCOME
empagliflozin vs placebo · 7,020 patients · N Engl J Med 2015
In Patients with type 2 diabetes at high risk for cardiovascular events
Primary outcome: death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke, as analyzed in the pooled empagliflozin group versus the placebo group
HR 0.86 (0.74–0.99, 95.02% CI)

Results are quoted from each trial’s primary publication abstract (PubMed); the trial name links to the paper. Ratios below 1 favour the intervention. Confidence intervals are 95% unless marked.

Other SGLT2 Inhibitors

The class has its own page: SGLT2 inhibitors in heart failure.

EmpagliflozinJardianceThis page
DapagliflozinFarxiga
CanagliflozinInvokana
Ertugliflozin
Sotagliflozin

Class membership: Synapse curated drug classes

How this page is built

A clinical question appears here only when its condition matches this topic, an outcome and a comparator were extracted from the studies, at least two studies and a patient count are on file, and the certainty is low or higher.

Supports benefit, no benefit shown, and mixed describe the direction of the measured effect. No benefit shown means the evidence does not support a benefit. It is not a finding of harm. Too little evidence means the question did not clear that bar.

Study count, RCT count, and patient count are separate. The patient total adds only studies that are linked into a study family and whose sample size is not flagged as implausible. A reversal is listed only when at least one randomized trial sits on each side of the change.

The overview is drafted from the guideline recommendations, trials, papers, and questions on this page, and every sentence has to cite one of them. It stays unverified until an NPI-verified clinician or a Synapse admin approves it. Approving records that person's name.

Empagliflozin

Empagliflozin at a glance

Landmark trials

Trials by indication

Safety and label changes

Other SGLT2 Inhibitors

How this page is built

Leading authors