Wegovy vs. Jardiance
See how Wegovy and Jardiance compare on approved uses, dosing, side effects, and cost.
Key Takeaways
Wegovy is a once-weekly injection approved for chronic weight management and cardiovascular risk reduction in adults with obesity or overweight, while Jardiance is a once-daily pill for type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and kidney disease.
Wegovy produces significant weight loss but comes with GI side effects and a boxed warning for thyroid tumors, while Jardiance is not approved for weight loss but has a long track record across several chronic conditions.
Jardiance costs substantially less out of pocket than Wegovy and covers a broader range of cardiometabolic conditions, including heart failure and chronic kidney disease.
Wegovy vs. Jardiance Drug Summary
Wegovy
Wegovy (semaglutide) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for chronic weight management in adults and adolescents with obesity or overweight, and to lower cardiovascular risk in adults with heart disease and excess weight. It's injected weekly, with the dose raised gradually over four months to a 2.4 mg maintenance dose.
Jardiance
Jardiance (empagliflozin) is an SGLT2 inhibitor approved to lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, reduce cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and slow progression of heart failure or chronic kidney disease. It's taken as one tablet daily, with no dose titration required.
Wegovy vs. Jardiance Side Effects
Wegovy
Jardiance
Wegovy vs. Jardiance Dosage
Wegovy
Jardiance
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 0.25 mg once weekly | Weeks 1-4 |
| Maximum dose | 2.4 mg once weekly | Week 17 onward |
| Dose changes | 4 increases | Every 4 weeks |
| 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 |
Wegovy
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 0.25 mg once weekly | Weeks 1-4 |
| Maximum dose | 2.4 mg once weekly | Week 17 onward |
| Dose changes | 4 increases | Every 4 weeks |
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 |
Wegovy vs. Jardiance Indications
Wegovy
Wegovy is FDA-approved for long-term weight management in adults and adolescents 12 and older who have obesity, or who are overweight with a related health condition, when combined with diet and exercise. It's also approved to lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death in adults with established heart disease and excess weight.
Chronic weight management in adults and adolescents 12+
For obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition
Reduces cardiovascular events in adults with heart disease
Used alongside diet and exercise
Not approved for diabetes blood sugar control
Jardiance
Jardiance is FDA-approved to improve blood sugar control in adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes. It also carries approvals to reduce cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and to reduce death and hospitalization in heart failure or chronic kidney disease.
Blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes, ages 10+
Reduces cardiovascular death in diabetes with heart disease
Reduces death and hospitalization in heart failure
Slows progression of chronic kidney disease
Not approved for type 1 diabetes or weight loss
Wegovy vs. Jardiance Pros and Cons
Wegovy
Wegovy produces substantial weight loss and is the only anti-obesity medication proven to reduce cardiovascular events in people with obesity and heart disease. It requires a weekly injection and a months-long dose titration, and it costs significantly more than oral alternatives without insurance coverage.
Pros
Proven to reduce major cardiovascular events in adults with obesity and heart disease
Produces greater average weight loss than SGLT2 inhibitors
Only once-weekly dosing, not a daily pill
Cons
Requires self-injection rather than a pill
Common GI side effects like nausea and vomiting during titration
Carries a boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors
Typically costs $1,300 to $1,350 per month without insurance, before savings programs
Jardiance
Jardiance is a low-cost daily pill with proven benefits across diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease, making it useful well beyond blood sugar control. It's not designed for weight loss and carries its own risks, including genital infections and rare diabetic ketoacidosis.
Pros
Approved for heart failure and chronic kidney disease, not just diabetes
Simple once-daily oral dosing with no titration needed
Approved for children as young as 10 with type 2 diabetes
Cons
Not approved for weight management
Risk of genital yeast infections and urinary tract infections
Small risk of diabetic ketoacidosis, even with normal blood sugar
Higher hypoglycemia risk when combined with insulin or sulfonylureas
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