Irbesartan (Systemic)

Brand Names : Avapro

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For irbesartan, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to irbesartan. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Use of irbesartan during pregnancy, especially during the second and third trimesters (after the first 3 months), can cause low blood pressure, severe kidney failure, or even death in the newborn. Therefore, it is important that you check with your doctor immediately if you think that you may have become pregnant . Be sure that you have discussed this with your doctor before taking this medicine.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether irbesartan passes into breast milk. However, irbesartan passes into the milk of lactating rats. Because this medicine may cause serious side effects, breast-feeding is generally not recommended while you are taking it.

Children - This medicine has been tested in children over 6 years of age and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults.

Older adults - This medicine has been tested in patients 65 years of age or older and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults. However, blood levels of irbesartan may be increased in the elderly and elderly patients may be more sensitive to the effects of irbesartan.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking irbesartan, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Diuretics (water pills) - Effects on blood pressure may be increased

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of irbesartan. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Congestive heart failure, severe - Lowering of blood pressure by irbesartan may make this condition worse

• Dehydration - Blood pressure-lowering effects of irbesartan may be increased.

• Kidney disease - Effects of irbesartan may be increased because of slower removal of medicine from the body.