What Is Farxiga? Uses, Dosage, and What You Need to Know in 2026

Farxiga (dapagliflozin) is one of the most widely prescribed medications in the United States, used by millions of patients for type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. Here's a comprehensive, plain-English guide covering everything you need to know about Farxiga in 2026.

What Is Farxiga?

Farxiga is the brand name for dapagliflozin, a once-daily oral tablet made by AstraZeneca. It belongs to a class of medications called SGLT2 inhibitors (sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors). It was first FDA-approved on January 8, 2014, and has since expanded its approvals to cover heart failure and chronic kidney disease.

In April 2026, the FDA approved the first generic versions of dapagliflozin, meaning the active ingredient is now available from multiple manufacturers as a lower-cost generic alternative to brand-name Farxiga.

What Is Farxiga FDA-Approved to Treat?

Farxiga has three primary FDA-approved indications:

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM): As an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults and children aged 10 years and older with T2DM. Farxiga is NOT approved to treat type 1 diabetes for blood sugar control.

Heart Failure (HF): To reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, hospitalization for heart failure, and urgent heart failure visits in adults. This applies to both heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): To reduce the risk of sustained decline in kidney function, end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), cardiovascular death, and hospitalization for heart failure in adults with CKD at risk of progression.

Farxiga can be used for heart failure and CKD in patients with or without diabetes. This is one of the things that sets Farxiga apart from some older diabetes medications.

Farxiga Dosage: How Much Do You Take?

Farxiga is available as 5 mg and 10 mg tablets. Dosing depends on what you're taking it for:

Type 2 diabetes (adults and children ≥10 years): Start at 5 mg once daily; may increase to 10 mg once daily for additional glycemic control. Not recommended if eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73m².

Heart failure: 10 mg once daily

Chronic kidney disease: 10 mg once daily

How to Take Farxiga

Take Farxiga once daily — in the morning is usually recommended to avoid nighttime urination

Can be taken with or without food

Swallow the tablet whole — do not crush or split tablets

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember — unless it's almost time for your next dose. Never take two doses at once.

Do not stop taking Farxiga without talking to your doctor, especially if you take it for heart failure or CKD

Who Should NOT Take Farxiga?

Farxiga is contraindicated (should not be used) in people who:

Have had a serious allergic reaction to dapagliflozin (anaphylaxis or angioedema)

Have polycystic kidney disease (for the CKD indication)

Are currently taking or recently received immunosuppressive therapy for kidney disease

Are pregnant (not recommended in second or third trimester; discuss all trimesters with your doctor)

Are breastfeeding (not recommended due to potential risk to developing kidney in infant)

Key Benefits Beyond Blood Sugar Control

Farxiga offers several clinically proven benefits beyond simply lowering blood sugar:

Weight loss: An average of about 6 pounds over 24 weeks, due to caloric loss through urinary glucose excretion

Blood pressure reduction: Farxiga reduced systolic blood pressure by approximately 5 mmHg compared to placebo in T2DM trials

Cardiorenal protection: Major trials (DAPA-HF, DAPA-CKD, DECLARE-TIMI 58) demonstrated significant reductions in heart failure hospitalization, kidney disease progression, and cardiovascular death

To understand how Farxiga produces these benefits, read our guide on how Farxiga works. If you need help finding Farxiga at a pharmacy near you, visit medfinder.com.