Should i stop taking diovan

ACE inhibitors are commonly used to lower the risk of death related to heart or blood vessel problems after a heart attack. The researchers wanted to see if valsartan was as effective in reducing death as an ACE inhibitor for use after a heart attack. They found that valsartan was just as effective as ACE inhibitors in lowering the risk of death related to heart attacks.

For this group of people, clinical guidelines recommend they use an angiotensin receptor blocker ARB , such as Diovan, after a heart attack.

Diovan is FDA-approved to treat high blood pressure in children ages 6 to 16 years. Clinical studies looked at children who took valsartan or a placebo a treatment with no active drug. This was compared with the blood pressure of the placebo group. Diovan was also studied in children ages 1 to 5 years. For this reason, Diovan is approved for use only in children ages 6 years and older. Depending on the condition Diovan is used to treat, the drug may be used alone or with other medications.

To treat high blood pressure , Diovan is often used with other medications that lower blood pressure. Drugs such as Diovan are commonly given with medications called diuretics water pills. An example of a diuretic is hydrochlorothiazide. In addition to diuretics, Diovan may also be used with other drugs that lower blood pressure. These include calcium channel blockers, such as amlodipine Norvasc. Diovan may be used with other drugs that treat heart failure.

This is because diuretics and Diovan can cause similar side effects. Lowering the dose of your diuretic may lower your risk for these side effects. This combination drug is approved for treating heart failure. Diovan may be given with other treatments typically used for heart attack. Examples include aspirin and statin medications, such as atorvastatin Lipitor and rosuvastatin Crestor. Other drugs are available that can treat your condition. Some may be a better fit for you than others. They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you.

Note : Some of the drugs listed below are used off-label to treat these specific conditions. Examples of other drugs that may be used to treat high blood pressure include:. Examples of other drugs that may be used to lower the risk of a hospital stay due to heart failure include:.

You may wonder how Diovan compares with other medications that are prescribed for similar uses. Here we look at how Diovan and losartan Cozaar are alike and different. Diovan contains the active drug valsartan. Both Diovan and losartan are in a drug class called angiotensin receptor blockers ARBs. Diovan and losartan can cause similar side effects but some different ones as well. Below are examples of these side effects.

These lists contain up to 10 of the most common mild side effects that can occur with either Diovan or losartan, as well as mild side effects that both drugs may share. Diovan and losartan are approved to treat high blood pressure in adults as well as in children ages 6 years and older. But studies have found both Diovan and losartan to be effective for treating high blood pressure in adults as well as in children ages 6 years and older.

Diovan and losartan are both in a drug class called angiotensin receptor blockers ARBs. According to estimates on GoodRx. Diovan is brand-name drug. Losartan is a generic drug. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics. Like losartan above , the drug lisinopril Zestril has uses similar to those of Diovan. Diovan is in a drug class called angiotensin receptor blockers ARBs. Lisinopril belongs to a class of medications called angiotensin converting enzyme ACE inhibitors.

Diovan and lisinopril are both approved by the Food and Drug Administration FDA to treat high blood pressure in adults as well as in children ages 6 years and older. Also, both drugs are approved to lower the risk of death due to a cardiovascular heart or blood vessel problem after a heart attack.

But Diovan is approved for this use only in certain people. In addition, Diovan is FDA-approved to reduce the risk of a hospital stay due to certain types of heart failure. For more information on the uses of lisinopril, talk with your doctor. Diovan and lisinopril can cause similar side effects but some different ones as well.

These lists contain up to 10 of the most common mild side effects that can occur with either Diovan or lisinopril, as well as mild side effects that both drugs may share. These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with lisinopril, as well as serious side effects that both drugs may share. But studies have found both Diovan and lisinopril to be effective for treating high blood pressure in adults and in children ages 6 years and older.

Clinical guidelines recommend using one of four preferred medication classes to treat high blood pressure in most adults. A medication class is a group of medications that work in the similar way.

One of the preferred medication classes is angiotensin receptor blockers ARBs , which includes Diovan. Another class is angiotensin converting enzyme ACE inhibitors , which includes lisinopril. Your doctor can decide which medication will work best for you. But studies have found both Diovan and lisinopril to be effective for reducing the risk of a hospital stay due to heart failure in adults. But studies have found both Diovan and lisinopril to be effective for treating adults after a heart attack.

For this group of people, clinical guidelines recommend they use an ARB , such as Diovan, after a heart attack.

Lisinopril is a generic drug. Diovan is a type of drug called an angiotensin receptor blocker ARB. Beta-blockers are often prescribed to treat the same conditions Diovan is used to treat.

These include high blood pressure and heart failure. Beta-blockers are also commonly given to people after a heart attack. Beta-blockers stop the action of certain hormones such as noradrenaline and adrenaline. ARBs, such as Diovan, relax the muscles in your blood vessels. This helps lower blood pressure and helps your heart pump blood more easily than usual.

If you have questions about beta-blockers or Diovan, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Yes, Diovan does have a few contraindications. These are conditions or factors that would prevent you from taking the medication. The drug can harm a developing fetus or cause miscarriage. This could increase your risk for certain side effects while taking Diovan. These include low blood pressure and kidney problems, such as producing less urine than usual or kidney failure.

However, some blood pressure medications can cause ED as a side effect. These drugs may be prescribed with Diovan for treating high blood pressure or other conditions, such as heart failure. For example, diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide can cause ED.

Beta-blockers , such as carvedilol Coreg , may also cause this side effect. But the researchers did observe that some older people are more sensitive to Diovan. This group of people may need a lower dose of Diovan than usual to help avoid side effects. Some salt substitutes use potassium in place of sodium salt. This may increase your potassium level. Diovan itself can increase potassium levels. So using a salt substitute while taking Diovan could further increase your potassium level.

Having too much potassium in your body can be dangerous. You can also ask them any questions that you may have about salt substitutes. As with all medications, the cost of Diovan can vary. To find current prices for Diovan tablets in your area, check out GoodRx. The cost you find on GoodRx. Keep in mind that you may be able to get a day supply of Diovan.

If approved by your insurance company, getting a day supply of the drug could lower your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost. Before approving coverage for Diovan, your insurance company may require you to get prior authorization.

This means that your doctor and insurance company will need to communicate about your prescription before the insurance company will cover the drug. The insurance company will review the prior authorization request and decide if the drug will be covered.

If you need financial support to pay for Diovan, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, the manufacturer of Diovan, offers a copay card that may help lower the cost of the drug. Diovan may be available through a mail-order pharmacy. They include candesartan , irbesartan and losartan.

Valsartan works as well as other angiotensin receptor blockers when it's used to lower blood pressure. The side effects are also similar. Valsartan is different from some other angiotensin receptor blockers because it is also officially approved for patients who have had a recent heart attack. For the treatment of heart failure, valsartan is usually taken twice a day.

Other angiotensin receptor blockers used to treat heart failure are usually taken once a day. Valsartan also works as well as ramipril and other angiotensin converting enzyme ACE inhibitors to lower blood pressure, treat heart failure and prevent heart attacks. It can be used by people who have tried taking ramipril or other ACE inhibitors but had to stop taking them because of side effects such as a dry, irritating cough. If you're going to have a general anaesthetic be put to sleep for an operation, tell your doctor that you're taking valsartan.

There's some evidence that valsartan might help prevent migraines. However, valsartan is not officially approved for migraine. Your doctor would probably advise you to try other medicines first. There have been some studies that have looked at whether blood pressure medicines could help protect people against Alzheimer's disease. However, at the moment, there is not enough evidence to recommend taking valsartan or other similar medicines for Alzheimer's.

There are steps you can take that may reduce your risk of Alzheimer's. If you are worried about getting Alzheimer's disease in the future or have a family history of this condition, speak to your doctor. Some brands of valsartan were discontinued in and For a short time, there was a problem getting valsartan. Some people switched to other angiotensin receptor blockers to make sure there was no break in their blood pressure-lowering treatment. There are still some companies that make valsartan.

Your doctor can prescribe it and your pharmacy should be able to order it for you. There's no firm evidence to suggest that taking valsartan will reduce fertility in either men or women. However, if you're a woman and you are trying to get pregnant, talk to your doctor first as this medicine is usually not recommended in pregnancy. However, some types of hormonal methods of contraception, such as the combined contraceptive pill and contraceptive patch , aren't usually recommended for women with high blood pressure.

Valsartan can make some people feel dizzy - especially when you first start taking it or after taking a bigger dose. If this happens to you, do not drive a car, ride a bike, or use tools or machinery. You can boost the health of your heart by making some key lifestyle changes.

These will also help if you have high blood pressure or heart failure. Page last reviewed: 13 December Next review due: 13 December Valsartan On this page About valsartan Key facts Who can and can't take valsartan How and when to take it Side effects How to cope with side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions. About valsartan Valsartan is a medicine widely used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure.

NHS coronavirus advice If you have coronavirus, or think you might have it, keep taking your blood pressure medicines as usual. Updated: 17 March Valsartan lowers your blood pressure and makes it easier for your heart to pump blood around your body. It's often used as a second-choice treatment if you had to stop taking a similar medicine because it gave you a dry, irritating cough. If you get severe diarrhoea or vomiting from a stomach bug or illness, tell your doctor.

You may need to stop taking valsartan for a while until you feel better. The main side effect of valsartan is dizziness - but it's usually mild and short-lived. Valsartan is not normally recommended in pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you're trying to get pregnant or you're already pregnant. Valsartan is also called by the brand name Diovan. Valsartan can be taken by adults aged 18 and over.

Children over the age of 6 years can take valsartan, but only to treat high blood pressure. Valsartan isn't suitable for some people. To make sure valsartan is safe for you, tell your doctor if you : have had an allergic reaction to valsartan or other medicines in the past have severe liver disease have diabetes have heart or kidney problems have recently had a kidney transplant have diarrhoea or vomiting or have recently had this are on a low-salt diet have low blood pressure are trying to get pregnant, are already pregnant or if you are breastfeeding.

It's usual to take valsartan once or twice a day. How much will I take? The usual dose for adults is: 80mg to mg once a day for high blood pressure 40mg to mg twice a day for heart failure 20mg to mg twice a day after a recent heart attack The dose may be lower if you've recently lost body fluids for example because you've been sick or have diarrhoea.

The dose for children depends on their weight. The usual dose for children is: 40mg to 80mg once a day for children weighing 18kg to 35kg 80mg to mg once a day for children weighing 35kg to 80kg 80mg to mg once a day for children weighing 80kg and more Will my dose go up or down? How to take it You can take valsartan tablets with or without food.

Swallow the tablets with a drink of water. According to news sources, the NDMA concern is not limited to valsartan. Healthline explains that other drugs like valsartan are being recalled. Other angiotensin II receptor blockers including losartan and irbesartan have also been subjected to recalls.

Patients around the world may be affected. Patients who are concerned that they may be in possession of the tainted valsartan may be able to check the lot numbers on their medication against the lot numbers listed on the FDA recall page. Valsartan belongs to a class of drugs known as angiotensin receptor blockers ARBs.

ARBs work by relaxing the blood vessels to allow blood to flow more easily and lower blood pressure. It may also lower the likelihood of hospitalization for patients with heart failure. It may help to prevent strokes, heart attacks, and kidney problems. However, tainted valsartan may increase some of these health problems. While relatively little is known about the long term risks associated with NDMA, it is thought that the side effects would be connected to the amount of NDMA consumed.

According to lab studies on rats, the toxin can cause liver problems, including liver fibrosis, liver scarring, and liver tumors. There is also a suspected risk of cancer associated with the chemical. If your doctor has prescribed a blood pressure medication, you should take it for as long as prescribed exactly as the doctor recommended. Your doctor should consider the possible side effects and which of the medicines on the market might be the right fit for your individual condition.

Some patients are tempted to stop using their medicine altogether, which can be dangerous for the blood pressure condition. This can dilute its effectiveness and impact your blood pressure negatively whether your valsartan comes as capsules, a liquid, or tablets. The recommended dose was based on your age, weight, and the seriousness of your blood pressure issues. Those who do cut pills in half or skip what has been recommended by the doctor are at risk of kidney failure, heart failure, stroke, and heart attack.

However, patients are recommended not to stop taking valsartan without first speaking with their doctor. Patients who have been diagnosed with cancer or other serious health conditions as a result of consuming tainted valsartan may be able to hire a qualified attorney and file a class action lawsuit. Your doctor will check your blood pressure and other symptoms of your condition regularly to tell if this drug is working for you.

A prescription for this medication is refillable. You should not need a new prescription for this medication to be refilled. Your doctor will write the number of refills authorized on your prescription. You may need to check your blood pressure at home. To do this, you may need to purchase a blood pressure monitor. You should keep a log with the date, time of day, and your blood pressure readings. Bring this log with you to your doctor appointments.

You may need to purchase a blood pressure monitor to check your blood pressure at home. These are available at most pharmacies. Many insurance companies require a prior authorization for this drug. This means your doctor will need to get approval from your insurance company before your insurance company will pay for the prescription.

There are other drugs available to treat your condition. Some may be better suited for you than others. Talk with your doctor about other options that may work for you. Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional.

You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

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