Can irbesartan be cut in half

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Sign Me Up. Print This Page Click to Print. There's nothing else you need to avoid while taking irbesartan. Eating a healthy, balanced diet can help if you have high blood pressure. There are several other angiotensin receptor blockers which work in the same way as irbesartan.

They include candesartan , losartan and valsartan. There are also lots of other types of blood pressure-lowering medicines such as:. The blood pressure-lowering medicine you're prescribed depends on your age and ethnicity:.

Many people need to take a combination of different blood pressure-lowering medicines. Irbesartan works as well as other angiotensin receptor blockers when it's used to lower blood pressure. Its side effects are also similar. It also works as well as ramipril and other angiotensin converting enzyme ACE inhibitors to lower blood pressure. Irbesartan can be used by people who have tried taking ramipril or other ACE inhibitors but had to give these up because they gave them a dry, irritating cough.

If you're going to be put to sleep for an operation, tell your doctor that you're taking irbesartan. Irbesartan can reduce your blood pressure when it's used with general anaesthetics that put you to sleep. Your doctor will probably advise you to stop taking irbesartan 24 hours before surgery.

However, irbesartan is not officially approved for migraine. Your doctor would probably advise you to try other medicines first. There have been some studies which have looked at whether blood pressure medicines could help protect people against Alzheimer's.

However, at the moment, there is not enough evidence to recommend taking irbesartan 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.

There's no firm evidence to suggest that taking irebesartan will reduce fertility in either men or women. However, speak to a pharmacist or your doctor before taking it if you're trying to get pregnant. 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. Talk to your doctor if you're taking a combined hormonal contraceptive. Irbesartan 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 angina. Page last reviewed: 13 December Next review due: 13 December Irbesartan On this page About irbesartan Key facts Who can and cannot take irbesartan How and when to take it Side effects How to cope with side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions.

About irbesartan Irbesartan is a medicine widely used to treat high blood pressure. This medicine is only available on prescription.

It comes as tablets. NHS coronavirus advice If you have coronavirus, or think you might have it, keep taking your blood pressure medicines as usual. Updated: 17 March Help us improve our website Can you answer a quick question about your visit today? Irbesartan 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.

The main side effects of irbesartan are dizziness, headache, feeling or being sick nausea or vomiting and low blood pressure - but they're usually mild and short-lived. If you get severe diarrhoea or vomiting from a stomach bug or illness, tell your doctor.

You may need to stop taking irbesartan for a while until you feel better. Irbesartan is not normally recommended in pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you're trying to get pregnant or you're already pregnant. Irbesartan is also called by the brand name Aprovel. Irbesartan can be taken by adults aged 18 and over. Irbesartan isn't suitable for some people. To make sure irbesartan is safe for you, tell your doctor if you : have had an allergic reaction to irbesartan or any other medicines in the past 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 you are breastfeeding.

Take irbesartan tablets once a day. How much will I take? The usual dose is mg to mg once a day. Will my dose go up or down? Important Take irbesartan even if you feel well, as you will still be getting the benefits of the medicine. What if I get sick while I'm taking it? What if I forget to take it? What if I take too much? Common side effects These common side effects happen in more than 1 in people: feeling dizzy or having a spinning sensation vertigo headache feeling sick nausea being sick vomiting or diarrhoea pain in your joints or muscles Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or don't go away.

Serious side effects It happens rarely, but some people have serious side effects after taking irbesartan. Call a doctor straight away if you have: yellow skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow - this can be a sign of liver problems pale skin, feeling tired, faint or dizzy, purple spots, any sign of bleeding, sore throat and fever - these can be signs of blood or bone marrow disorder weakness, an irregular heartbeat, pins and needles and muscle cramps - these can be signs of changes in the sodium and potassium levels in your blood Serious allergic reaction In rare cases, irbesartan may cause a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis.

Information: You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme. Visit Yellow Card for further information. What to do about : feeling dizzy - if irbesartan makes you feel dizzy when you stand up, try getting up very slowly or stay sitting down until you feel better. If you begin to feel dizzy, lie down so that you don't faint, then sit until you feel better.

Do not drive or use tools or machines if you feel dizzy, have muscle cramps or muscle pain, or if you just feel a bit shaky. Do not drink too much alcohol. Ask your pharmacist to recommend a painkiller.

Headaches should usually go away after the first week of taking irbesartan. Talk to your doctor if they last longer than a week or are severe. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions. Irbesartan works by blocking the effect of a hormone called angiotensin. This makes your blood vessels relax more. It also allows your kidneys to get rid of extra water and salt.

This helps lower your blood pressure, and helps improve your kidney function. If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks.

Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:. Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare provider who knows your medical history.

Irbesartan oral tablet can interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well. To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. Taking other blood pressure-lowering drugs with irbesartan can increase your risk of high potassium levels, kidney damage, and low blood pressure hypotension. Taking lithium with irbesartan may increase the levels of lithium in your body.

This may cause dangerous effects from lithium. Using irbesartan with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs can increase your risk of kidney damage. Taking these medications with irbesartan can increase your potassium levels even more. Examples of these drugs include:. However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions. Always speak with your healthcare provider about possible interactions with all prescription drugs, vitamins, herbs and supplements, and over-the-counter drugs that you are taking.

Taking it again could be fatal cause death. For people with an active renin-angiotensin system: If you have heart failure or a condition called renal artery stenosis, your kidneys depend on the renin-angiotensin system. Using irbesartan can worsen your kidney function. For people at risk of low blood pressure: If you take a diuretic or are on dialysis, taking irbesartan may cause very low blood pressure. For pregnant women: Irbesartan is a category D pregnancy drug. That means two things:.

This drug may harm or end your pregnancy. Irbesartan should only be used during pregnancy if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk. If it does, it may cause serious effects in a child who is breastfed. For seniors: Older adults may process drugs more slowly. A typical adult dosage may cause levels of this drug to be higher than normal in your body.

All possible dosages and forms may not be included here. Your dose, form, and how often you take it will depend on:. Older adults may process drugs more slowly. A typical adult dosage may cause levels of this drug to be higher than normal. For people who take a diuretic or are on dialysis: If you take a water pill or need dialysis for kidney problems, your doctor may start you at a lower dosage of 75 mg once per day.

However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this list includes all possible dosages.