Dapagliflozin is used along with diet and exercise, and sometimes with other medications, to lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes (condition in which blood sugar is too high because the body does not produce or use insulin normally). It is also used to reduce the risk of needing to be hospitalized for heart failure in adults who have type 2 diabetes along with heart and blood vessel disease or who have multiple risk factors for developing heart and blood vessel disease. Dapagliflozin is also used in adults with heart failure to reduce the risk of needing to be hospitalized and death due to heart and blood vessel disease. It is also used to reduce the risk of worsening kidney disease, the need to be hospitalized for heart failure, and the risk of death due to heart disease in adults with kidney disease. Dapagliflozin is in a class of medications called sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. It lowers blood sugar by causing the kidneys to get rid of more glucose in the urine. Dapagliflozin is not used to treat type 1 diabetes (condition in which the body does not produce insulin and, therefore, cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood) or diabetic ketoacidosis (a serious condition that may develop if high blood sugar is not treated). Over time, people who have diabetes and high blood sugar can develop serious or life-threatening complications, including heart disease, stroke, kidney problems, nerve damage, and eye problems. Taking dapagliflozin, making lifestyle changes (e.g., diet, exercise, quitting smoking), and regularly checking your blood sugar may help to manage your diabetes and improve your health. This therapy may also decrease your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other diabetes-related complications such as kidney failure, nerve damage (numb, cold legs or feet; decreased sexual ability in men and women), eye problems, including changes or loss of vision, or gum disease. Your doctor and other healthcare providers will talk to you about the best way to manage your diabetes.