This NHS content is written for people in England. Medicine names, availability, prescribing and services may differ in other countries.
Empagliflozin is a medicine that's mainly used to treat type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body does not make enough insulin, or the insulin that it makes does not work properly. This can cause high blood sugar levels (hyperglycaemia). Empagliflozin works by helping your body to remove extra sugar through your pee.
Your doctor may recommend empagliflozin for treating type 2 diabetes if:
- diet and exercise are not enough to control your blood sugar levels
- you cannot take metformin (another type of diabetes medicine)
It can also be taken together with other diabetes medicines, such as insulin, if a single diabetes medicine is not controlling your blood sugar properly.
Empagliflozin can also be used to treat:
- heart failure – it can reduce the risk of your heart getting weaker, and help symptoms such as tiredness
- chronic kidney disease (CKD) – it can help slow the rate at which the condition gets worse
Empagliflozin is only available on prescription. It comes as tablets.
It also comes combined with other diabetes medicines. Brand names include Synjardy (empagliflozin with metformin) and Glyxambi (empagliflozin with linagliptin).
View the original NHS website page ↗. Refreshed 19 August 2026.
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