Introduction
Azistar 40 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.
Azistar 40 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 Azistar 40
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Heart failure
- Prevention of heart attack and stroke
Side effects of Azistar 40
Common
- Dizziness
- Muscle damage
- Diarrhea
How to use Azistar 40
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. Azistar 40 may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time.
How Azistar 40 works
Azistar 40 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 Azistar 40?
If you miss a dose of Azistar 40, skip it and continue with your normal schedule. Do not double the dose.
Indication
Hypertension, alone or in combination w/ other antihypertensive agents.
Administration
May be taken with or without food.
Adult Dose
Adult: Initially 40 mg once daily. May be increased to a max of 80 mg once daily as necessary.
Elderly: No dose adjustment is necessary in elderly patients
Renal Dose
Renal Impairment
No dose adjustment is required with mild-to-severe renal impairment or end-stage renal disease.
Patients with moderate-to-severe renal impairment are more likely to report high serum creatinine values.
Contraindication
Hypersensitivity. Pregnancy.
Mode of Action
Angiotensin II blocker; displaces angiotensin II from AT1 receptor and may lower blood pressure by antagonizing AT1-induced vasoconstriction, aldosterone release, catecholamine release, arginine vasopressin release, water absorption, and hypertrophic responses.
May induce more complete inhibition of renin-angiotensin system compared with ACE inhibitors; does not affect response to bradykinin.
Inhibits the pressor effects of an angiotensin II infusion in a dose-related manner.
Precaution
Correct vol or salt depletion prior to administration. Renal (moderate to severe) & hepatic (severe) impairment. Pregnancy (1st trimester) & lactation. Childn <18 yr.
Monitor serum K in patients taking K-sparing diuretics, salt substitutes containing K & drugs that increase K levels (eg heparin) & creatinine levels in patients w/ renal impairment & type 2 DM. Aortic or mitral valve stenosis, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.
Lactation: unknown whether distributed in breast milk, decide on alternate antihypertensive therapy or do not breastfeed
Side Effect
1-10%
Diarrhea (2%)
<1%
Nausea,Asthenia,Fatigue,Muscle spasm,Dizziness,Postural hypotension,Cough
Pregnancy Category Note
Pregnancy Category: C (1st trimester); D (2nd and 3rd trimesters)
Interaction
Reversibly increases serum conc & toxicity of lithium; attenuated antihypertensive effects & risk of worsening of renal function may occur w/ NSAIDs. Hyperkalemia w/ K-sparing diuretics & K supplements.