New findings, diabetes drugs might trigger infection in genitalia

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Medical Video: FDA Issues Warning Diabetes Drug May Cause Severe Genital Infection

Every medicine taken is of course there are side effects respectively, as well as diabetes medications. Depending on the type of medication and the dose taken, the side effects of diabetes medications can be mild to moderate.

One of the side effects of diabetes medication that you should be aware of is the risk of genital infections that can occur. What diabetes medications can cause this? Then, is diabetes medicine not safe?

Genital infections, side effects of diabetes medications to watch out for

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States or equivalent to BPOM in Indonesia issued a warning about the side effects of type 2 diabetes drugs, namely the type of sodium-glucose inhibitor cotransporter-2 (SGLT2).

The reason, this type 2 diabetes medication is apparently not only able to control blood sugar levels. But it can also increase a person's risk of genital infections from meat-eating bacteria. The drugs that are included in SGLT2 and have quite alarming effects are canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, and ertugliflozin.

According to FDA reports, in a period of five years, namely from March 2013 to May 2018 these drugs turned out to cause necrotizing fasciitis disease aka the syndrome of meat-eating bacteria.

This disease can actually attack any body part. However, in people who take the SGLT2 drug, a disease caused by meat-eating bacteria usually attacks the tissue under the skin such as muscles, nerves, fat and blood vessels in the genital area. As a result, skin tissue between the anus and vulva or scrotum is destroyed and dies.

Infection due to necrotizing fasciitis which causes the death of body tissue in the genital area called gangrene Fournier. Reporting from the Mayo Clinic, Gangren Fournier is an infection that causes the genitals to experience swelling, pain when touched, and also redness.

Over time this infection can cause the death of body tissue due to meat-eating bacteria. Moreover, people with diabetes have a higher risk of developing gangrene injuries.

It is known that this infection occurred after 9 months the patient took the diabetes medication. Of the 12 patients who experienced Fournier gangrene, five of them needed more than one operation with one of them requiring a skin graft.

In addition, four patients experienced complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis, acute kidney injury, and septic shock. While the other two patients were transferred to another hospital and one patient died.

Why can this diabetes drug cause genital infections?

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SGLT2 inhibitor drugs work to reduce blood sugar by regulating the kidneys to remove glucose from the body through urine. The goal is to stabilize blood sugar levels. Well, meanwhile, according to Jamie Alan, assistant pharmacology and toxicology lecturer at Michigan State University, sugar is a food that is favored by bacteria.

When the body releases sugar through urine, the bacteria will easily gather around the genitals. Well, meat-eating bacteria is one of the bacteria that can gather in that part. Genitals are an area prone to injury due to a shaving knife. In addition, because the layers are quite thin, this area is more prone to injury.

Wounds in the genital area, can be the entrance to these bacteria and eventually undermine all these tissues. Indeed, this condition is still very rare, but you must remain vigilant and sensitive to the risks that might cause the infection.

The FDA recommends that if you experience symptoms such as itching, irritation in the genital area, and a fever of more than 38 degrees Celsius after taking the SGLT2 drug, immediately consult a doctor. Because, this one bacterium can spread very quickly so it must be treated as soon as the signs of infection appear.

However, even though the effects of diabetes medications are quite worrying you cannot just stop without the doctor's consent. Always consult a doctor so that the treatment you have to get can be adjusted.

New findings, diabetes drugs might trigger infection in genitalia
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