Introduction
Valpress is a medicine used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease. Lowering blood pressure helps to prevent future heart attack and stroke. This medicine is also effective in preserving kidney function in patients with diabetes.
Valpress can be prescribed either alone or in combination with other medicines. It may be taken with or without food during the day or at night. However, try to take it at the same time each day to get the most benefit. It is important to continue taking it regularly even if you feel well or if your blood pressure is controlled. Most people with high blood pressure do not feel ill, but if you stop taking this medicine, your condition could get worse. This is a widely used medicine and is considered safe for long-term use.
Making some changes in your lifestyle will also help lower your blood pressure. These may include regular exercise, losing weight, smoking cessation, reducing alcohol intake, and reducing the amount of salt in your diet as advised by your doctor. This medicine is tolerated well by most patients and has few side effects. Dizziness, particularly after the first dose, is known to occur in some people. This may be associated with headache. Let your doctor know if these side effects bother you or do not go away. No weight gain has been seen with the regular use of this medicine.
Before taking this medicine, let your doctor know if you have any kidney or liver problems. Pregnant or breastfeeding mothers should also consult their doctor before taking it. Your doctor may check your kidney function, blood pressure and potassium levels in your blood at regular intervals while you are taking this medicine.
Uses of Valpress
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Heart failure
- Prevention of heart attack and stroke
Side effects of Valpress
Common
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Flu-like symptoms
- Stomach pain
- Decreased blood pressure
- Diarrhea
- Back pain
- Rash
- Increased creatinine level in blood
How to use Valpress
Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. Valpress may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time.
How Valpress works
Valpress is an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB). It relaxes the blood vessel by blocking the action of a chemical that usually makes blood vessels tighter. This lowers the blood pressure, allowing the blood to flow more smoothly to different organs and the heart to pump more efficiently.
What if you forget to take Valpress?
If you miss a dose of Valpress, skip it and continue with your normal schedule. Do not double the dose.
Indication
Heart failure, Hypertension, Post myocardial infarction
Administration
May be taken with or without food.
Adult Dose
Oral
Hypertension
Adult: Initially, 80 mg once daily, may be increased to 160 mg once daily if needed. Max: 320 mg once daily.
Heart failure
Adult: Initially, 40 mg bid, may be increased to 160 mg bid if tolerated.
Post myocardial infarction
Adult: Start as early as 12 hr after MI in stable patients at an initial dose of 20 mg bid, doubled at intervals over a few wk up to 160 mg bid if tolerated.
Elderly: No dosage adjustment needed.
Hepatic impairment: Mild to moderate: Max: 80 mg once daily. Severe: Contraindicated.
Child Dose
Oral
Hypertension
Child: As tab: >6 yr <35 kg: Initially, 40 mg once daily. Max: 80 mg once daily;
35-80 kg: Initially, 80 mg once daily. Max: 160 mg once daily;
>80 kg: Initially, 80 mg once daily. Max: 320 mg once daily.
Renal Dose
Renal impairment
CrCl >30 mL/min: No dose adjustment necessary in adults
CrCl <30 mL/min: Use with caution in adults; not studied in children
Contraindication
Hypersensitivity; severe hepatic impairment, cirrhosis or biliary obstruction; primary hyperaldosteronism. Pregnancy (2nd and 3rd trimesters) and lactation.
Mode of Action
Valsartan, an angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor antagonist, produces its BP lowering effects by inhibiting angiotensin II-induced vasoconstriction, aldosterone release and renal reabsorption of Na.
Precaution
Patients w/ renal artery stenosis, heart failure, aortic or mitral stenosis, severe Na and/or volume depletion. Renal and mild to moderate hepatic impairment. Lactation. Monitoring Parameters Monitor BP, electrolytes, renal function. Monitor serum K levels every dose increment and periodically thereafter.
Side Effect
>10%
Dizziness (17%; heart failure),Increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN; 17%)
1-10%
Hyperkalemia (4-10%),Dizziness (2-8%; hypertension),Hypotension (1-7%; heart failure),Fatigue (3%),Viral infection (3%),Neutropenia (2%),Syncope (>1%),Upper abdominal pain (>1%),Vertigo (>1%)
Frequency Not Defined
Headache,Cough (rare)
Potentially Fatal: Blood dyscrasias (e.g. neutropenia).
Interaction
May antagonise hypotensive effects and increase the risk of renal impairment w/ NSAIDs. Increased risk of hyperkalaemia w/ K-sparing diuretics, K supplements or K-containing salt substitutes.
Potentially Fatal: Increased risk of hypotension, hyperkalemia and changes in renal function (including acute renal failure) when used w/ aliskiren in patients w/ diabetes and renal impairment (GFR <60 mL/min).