Get Informed: Diovan
Active Ingredient(s)
Valsartan
What does it do?
This product is primarily used to treat hypertension and heart failure, although it is also used by patients who have had heart attacks because of its association with improved survival. It works by blocking the action of Angiotensin II, a chemical which plays an important role in controlling blood pressure.
- Last Text Update:
- 2010-Mar-13 4:52 AM
- Last Data Update:
- 2010-Mar-12 9:01 PM
Other Names
- Diovan
- Valsartan
How Safe Is It?
- Your Risk Rating
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- Average Risk Rating
-
- Pregnancy Category:
- D
Black Box Warning
This product has a black box warning relating to its risks when used in pregnancy.
Facts & Figures
- Date Approved
- 23 Dec 1996
- Est US Patients*
- 3,170,000
- Generic Available
- No
- OTC Available
- No
User Age Distribution*
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
* Estimated number of US people currently taking Diovan or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.
Recent alerts for Diovan
There have been no iGuard.org alerts regarding Diovan during the past year.
Diovan Safety Report
Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings
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What is Diovan used for?
iGuard is currently tracking more than 21,000 patients that use Diovan (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.
| Disease / Condition | % | Average Severity |
|---|---|---|
| High Blood Pressure | 94% | 
|
| Kidney Protection | 10% |
|
| Heart Disease/Stroke Prevention | 4% |
|
| Other | 3% |
|
How well does Diovan work?
iGuard regularly polls our more than 21,000 users taking Diovan (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) . This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.
Average Satisfaction Score
(out of 10)
Average Effectiveness Score
(out of 10)
- 87%
- of patients are confident that the good things about Diovan outweigh the bad things.
- 12%
- of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Diovan.
Common Side Effects of Diovan
iGuard regularly polls our more than 21,000 users taking Diovan (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.
15% of patients experience side-effects on Diovan
3% of patients experience signifcant side-effects on Diovan
Most Common Side Effects...
-
Fatigue
-
= 10%
Less than 1%: Bone/Joint Pain, Cough, Dizziness, Drowsiness, Hair Loss, Light Sensitivity, Loss of Libido, Memory/Speech Problems, Muscle Pain/Cramps, Postural Hypotension
Global Patient Feedback for Diovan (Valsartan) ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
I am borderline Type 2 Diabetic and take Diovan to protect my kidneys.
I have taken Diovan for less than one year.
The only side effect I have with this drug is that after I take it for 3 months I get blurred vision. I stop taking it for 3 or 4 days and my vision clears up and I start taking the drug again.
64 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-01-28 08:42:13
iGuard Answer/Reply:
Blurred vision is a reported side effect, although it affects only a small percent of patients taking Diovan. Be sure to let your doctor know. He/she may want to adjust your dose or possible change the medication.
Posted: 2010-02-06 14:18:06
Question/Comment:
What is (are) the side effect(s) of taking wellbutrin and diovan?
54 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-11-22 22:25:59
iGuard Answer/Reply:
Diovan is used to lower blood pressure. Although rare, Wellbutrin may cause low blood pressure as a possible side effect. You may experience a drop in your blood pressure if you increase your Wellbutrin dose at any time. However, many patients take these two medications together without any problems. You should keep a close record of your daily blood pressure readings and report any unusual changes to your doctor.
iGuard patients taking Diovan reported headache, hair loss, fatigue and dizziness as the most frequent side effects. iGuard patients taking Wellbutrin reported dry mouth, fatigue, weight gain, insomnia and headache as the most frequent side effects. You may or may not experience any of these side effects.
Posted: 2009-11-24 22:09:18
Question/Comment:
What is the shelf life of diovan ? I heard it would loose maybe 10% in 5 years . Can Diovan become toxic after a time period ?
64 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-11-10 17:44:50
iGuard Answer/Reply:
Expiration dates tend to be very conservative to ensure that the potency of the medication is at 100% for the entire time. The amount of active medicine that Diovan would lose over time depends on how and where it is kept in your home. The amount of heat, sunlight, humidity and moisture it is exposed to will affect how fast the medication degrades. Medication that is discolored, crumbly, or powdered should be discarded immediately. There is no evidence that Diovan becomes toxic after a time period. However, with medications that can be life-saving, it is important to be guaranteed that they are at 100% potency and safety. In general, prescriptions maintain 100% potency for one year in a prescription bottle - It is standard for pharmacists to label your prescription with an expiration date of one year from the date dispensed. However, there are some exceptions to this and you will always need to look at your prescription bottle to determine the expiration date of the medicine.
Posted: 2009-11-11 22:50:05
Question/Comment:
i have been taking diovan for years have not had any side effects at all it does what it is suppose to do keep my blood pressure under control. 54 year old male
55 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-09-24 19:25:45
Question/Comment:
I have been taking Diovan for about two years. Recently, my heartrate has gone down and I am wondering if this can be caused by the Diovan? Has anyone else had this issue and what did you do to correct?
65 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-09-16 12:34:54
iGuard Answer/Reply:
Diovan is indicated for high blood pressure. Low heart could occur with Diovan but it very unlikely to happen at routine doses. If your heart rate continues to be too low, please follow up with your doctor to determine what is causing your low heart rate and what you can do to bring it to a normal rate.
Posted: 2009-09-23 11:47:33
You may post comments for the benefit of other patients or post questions other patients might be able to answer. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Only your age and gender will be published with your comment, although your other user details will be securely recorded for verification purposes.
Comments may be either questions or answers to previously posted questions. Any iGuard.org user may post questions and reply.
108
Patient Comments about
Diovan