Adipex vs. Jardiance
See how Adipex and Jardiance compare on approved uses, dosing, side effects, and cost.
Key Takeaways
Adipex is a short-term stimulant appetite suppressant approved for only a few weeks of use, while Jardiance is an SGLT2 inhibitor approved for long-term daily use in type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease.
Any weight loss with Jardiance is a secondary effect of its diabetes and kidney mechanism, not an FDA-approved use, so using it specifically for weight loss is off-label.
Adipex carries controlled-substance and cardiovascular risks that rule it out for many patients, while Jardiance's main risks involve genital and urinary infections and, rarely, diabetic ketoacidosis.
Adipex vs. Jardiance Drug Summary
Adipex
Adipex (phentermine) is a sympathomimetic amine that stimulates the central nervous system to reduce appetite. It's approved only for short-term use, a few weeks at a time, alongside diet and exercise for weight loss in adults with obesity. It comes as an oral tablet or capsule taken once daily.
Jardiance
Jardiance (empagliflozin) is an SGLT2 inhibitor that lowers blood sugar by helping the kidneys remove excess glucose through urine. It's approved for type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease to reduce cardiovascular death and hospitalization risk. It's taken as one oral tablet daily and isn't approved for weight loss.
Adipex vs. Jardiance Side Effects
Adipex
Jardiance
Adipex vs. Jardiance Dosage
Adipex
Jardiance
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 18.75 mg once daily | At the start |
| Maximum dose | 15 mg once daily | If needed |
| Dose changes | 3 increases | As tolerated |
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 10 mg once daily | At the start |
| Maximum dose | 25 mg once daily | If needed |
| Dose changes | 1 increase | As tolerated |
Adipex
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 18.75 mg once daily | At the start |
| Maximum dose | 15 mg once daily | If needed |
| Dose changes | 3 increases | As tolerated |
Jardiance
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 10 mg once daily | At the start |
| Maximum dose | 25 mg once daily | If needed |
| Dose changes | 1 increase | As tolerated |
Adipex vs. Jardiance Indications
Adipex
Adipex is FDA-approved only for short-term weight loss, typically just a few weeks, used alongside diet and exercise in adults with obesity. It is not approved for long-term weight management or for anyone with a history of heart disease. Dosing is adjusted for people with reduced kidney function.
Short-term adjunct to diet and exercise for weight loss
Approved for use of only a few weeks at a time
Not approved for long-term weight management
Not approved for patients 16 and younger
Jardiance
Jardiance is FDA-approved to control blood sugar in type 2 diabetes and to reduce cardiovascular death risk in adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It is also approved for heart failure, regardless of ejection fraction, and to slow chronic kidney disease progression. Using it for weight loss alone is off-label, since any weight loss is a secondary effect, not the approved use.
Blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes, ages 10 and up
Reduces cardiovascular death risk in type 2 diabetes with heart disease
Reduces death and hospitalization risk in heart failure
Slows chronic kidney disease progression
Adipex vs. Jardiance Pros and Cons
Adipex
Adipex works quickly to reduce appetite and has decades of clinical use behind it, but it's approved only for short-term treatment and carries stimulant-related risks. As a Schedule IV controlled substance, it also requires monitoring for misuse and isn't suitable for people with cardiovascular disease.
Pros
Long track record of use since 1959
Fast-acting appetite suppression
Widely available as an inexpensive generic
Roughly $50 to $150 per month without insurance, well below Jardiance
Cons
Approved for only a few weeks of use, not long-term
Schedule IV controlled substance with abuse potential
Contraindicated with heart disease or uncontrolled hypertension
Common stimulant side effects like insomnia and restlessness
Jardiance
Jardiance's benefits extend well beyond blood sugar control, covering heart failure and kidney disease, and it's approved for long-term daily use. It carries a different risk profile than Adipex, including infection and rare ketoacidosis risks, without the abuse potential of a controlled substance.
Pros
Approved for long-term daily use, not just short-term
Added benefits for heart failure and kidney disease
No abuse potential, not a controlled substance
Approved for pediatric type 2 diabetes patients aged 10 and up
Cons
Roughly $350 to $620 per month without insurance, well above Adipex
Risk of genital and urinary tract infections
Not approved for weight loss; any weight loss is a secondary effect
Rare risk of diabetic ketoacidosis, even without high blood sugar
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