guidelines

empagliflozin for chronic kidney disease (nice ta942)

technology appraisal summary for empagliflozin in ckd: nice eligibility (egfr and albuminuria/t2d criteria), add-on to acei/arb, and practical monitoring/counselling points.

last reviewed: 2026-02-13
based on: NICE TA942: Empagliflozin for treating chronic kidney disease (published 20 Dec 2023; accessed Feb 2026)

NICE recommendations (TA942)

  • Empagliflozin is recommended for CKD in adults as an add-on to optimised standard care including the highest tolerated ACEi/ARB dose (unless contraindicated).
  • Eligibility includes eGFR 20 to <45, or eGFR 45 to 90 with uACR ≥22.6 mg/mmol or type 2 diabetes.
  • If suitable options include dapagliflozin, NICE advises using the least expensive after discussion.

Primary care monitoring (high-yield)

  • Baseline: eGFR/uACR, BP, volume status; review diuretics and sick-day rules.
  • Counsel: genital infections, dehydration, rare ketoacidosis; pause in acute illness/fasting/surgery per local protocol.

Frequently asked questions

Is albuminuria required?
Not if the person has type 2 diabetes; otherwise uACR ≥22.6 is part of the eGFR 45–90 eligibility.
How low an eGFR can be started?
TA942 includes initiation down to eGFR 20 ml/min/1.73m² within the specified criteria.

Transparency

This page is an educational, clinician-written summary of publicly available NICE guidance intended for trained healthcare professionals. It uses original wording (not copied text) and should be used alongside the full NICE source, local pathways, and clinical judgement. Doses provided are for general reference; always check the BNF/SPC.