Diovan Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Diovan Tablet contains the active ingredient valsartan, a medicine from the angiotensin II receptor blocker class. It is used to control high blood pressure in adults and children 1 year of age and older, to treat heart failure in adults, and to improve survival after a heart attack. It works by relaxing blood vessels so blood can flow more smoothly and the heart can pump more efficiently.

What is Diovan Tablet

Diovan is a prescription tablet containing the active ingredient valsartan. It belongs to a group of medicines called angiotensin II receptor antagonists and is used to control high blood pressure and treat certain heart conditions.

Diovan Tablet uses

• Treating high blood pressure (hypertension) in adults and children 1 year of age and older
• Treating heart failure in adults
• Improving survival after a heart attack (myocardial infarction)

Benefits of Diovan Tablet

• Helps control high blood pressure, which reduces the risk of stroke, heart failure, and kidney failure
• Helps the heart function better and relieves some symptoms of heart failure
• Reduces the risk of further heart damage and further heart problems after a heart attack

How Diovan Tablet works

Valsartan blocks the action of natural substances in the body that tighten blood vessels. This allows blood to flow more smoothly and helps the heart pump more efficiently.

Diovan Tablet dosage

Take the medicine at the same time each day, with or without food, but take it the same way every day. If your stomach is upset after taking it, take it after a meal such as breakfast. Swallow the tablet with a full glass of water. For a child who cannot swallow a tablet whole, a pharmacist can mix the medicine into a liquid.

Keep taking this medicine even if you feel well, since high blood pressure often has no symptoms. It may take a few weeks before your blood pressure is under control or the medicine has its full effect. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, but skip it if it is almost time for your next dose; do not take two doses at once. Follow your doctor's instructions about diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes along with this medicine.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablet (40 mg, 80 mg, 160 mg, 320 mg)
• Oral solution (mentioned as Prexxartan, another brand)

Side effects of Diovan Tablet

Common

• Headache
• Dizziness or feeling light-headed
• Cough, flu symptoms, tiredness
• Stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation or wind, nausea, vomiting
• Back pain, joint pain, muscle pain or cramps
• Abnormal kidney test
• High blood potassium
• Sore throat, hoarse voice, runny or blocked nose
• Blistering skin
• Difficulty sleeping, feeling anxious
• Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
• Problems with sexual function

Serious

• Signs of allergic reaction: hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat
• Light-headed feeling like you might pass out, or severe dizziness or fainting
• Little or no urination (kidney problems)
• High blood potassium: nausea, weakness, tingling feeling, chest pain, irregular heartbeats, loss of movement
• Feeling of fast or irregular heartbeat, chest pain
• Shortness of breath not caused by exercise, with swelling of legs and feet
• Tiredness or lack of energy, being short of breath with exercise, dizziness, and looking pale
• Constant flu-like symptoms such as chills, fever, sore throat, aching joints, sores in mouth, swollen glands
• Bleeding or bruising more easily than normal
• Liver problems: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, feeling generally unwell, fever, itching, yellowing of the skin and eyes, dark colored urine
• Muscle breakdown symptoms: unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially with fever, unusual tiredness, and dark colored urine

Warnings and precautions

• Do not take Diovan if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, as it can cause serious harm or death to an unborn baby, especially in the second or third trimester. 
• Tell your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while taking this medicine.
• It is not recommended to breastfeed while taking Diovan, since it is not known if the medicine passes into breast milk.
• Tell your doctor if you have kidney disease or are on dialysis, as this medicine can affect kidney function and may need special monitoring. 
• Tell your doctor if you have liver disease, as this may affect whether Diovan is safe for you.
• There are no known direct interactions between alcohol and Diovan, but alcohol can worsen side effects such as dizziness, headache, and low blood pressure.
• This medicine can cause tiredness, sleepiness, or dizziness in some people. Do not drive or use machines if you have these symptoms.
• If you have diabetes, do not take Diovan together with any medicine containing aliskiren.
• You may also need to avoid taking Diovan with aliskiren if you have kidney disease.
• In rare cases, Diovan can cause breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue that can lead to kidney failure. Call your doctor right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially with fever, unusual tiredness, and dark colored urine.
• Diovan has a serious FDA boxed warning for the risk of harm to an unborn baby or pregnancy loss.
• Do not take potassium supplements or use salt substitutes unless your doctor has told you to.
• Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, as you may feel dizzy.
• Call your doctor if you are sick with vomiting or diarrhea, or sweating more than usual, since you can easily become dehydrated while taking Diovan.

Storage

• Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat
• Keep the tablets in the original packet and foils until it is time to take them
• Store the tablets in a cool, dark and dry place at room temperature
• Do not store in the bathroom or near a sink, or in the car or on window sills
• Keep it where young children cannot reach it; a locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half meters above the ground is a good place to store medicines
• If you no longer need to use this medicine or it is out of date, take it to any pharmacy for safe disposal
• Do not use this medicine after the expiry date or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering; return it to your pharmacist for disposal

When to see a doctor

• Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Call your doctor at once if you have a light-headed feeling like you might pass out, little or no urination, or signs of high blood potassium such as nausea, weakness, tingling, chest pain, or irregular heartbeats.
• Call your doctor straight away, or go to the Emergency Department, if you notice signs of allergy, a fast or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, shortness of breath with swelling of legs and feet, constant flu-like symptoms, easy bruising or bleeding, severe dizziness or fainting, or signs of liver problems.
• If you think you have taken too much Diovan, seek urgent medical attention right away, even if you feel fine, by calling your doctor, going to the emergency department, or contacting a poison control center.

Alternatives

• Diovan HCT
• Prexxartan
• Losartan
• Telmisartan