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:
- 2009-Nov-07 11:21 AM
- Last Data Update:
- 2009-Nov-07 8:28 AM
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*
- 3,107,000
- 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 alerts regarding Diovan during the past year.
Diovan Safety Report
Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings
- Please login or register (it's free) so iGuard can check how Diovan interacts with other drugs and diseases in your profile.
What is Diovan used for?
iGuard.org is currently tracking more than 17,900 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 | 80% | 
|
| Heart Failure / Edema | 7% |
|
| Kidney Protection | 6% |
|
| Heart Disease Prevention | 2% |
|
| Other | 11% |
|
How well does Diovan work?
iGuard.org regularly polls our more than 17,900 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)
- 80%
- of patients are confident that the good things about Diovan outweigh the bad things.
- 22%
- of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Diovan.
Common Side Effects of Diovan
iGuard.org regularly polls our more than 17,900 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.
22% of patients experience side-effects on Diovan
1% of patients experience signifcant side-effects on Diovan
Most Common Side Effects...
-
Dizziness
-
Fatigue
-
Hair Loss
-
Headache
-
= 10%
Less than 1%: Chest Pain/Tightness, Cough, Heartburn/Reflux, Itch, Mood/Behavior Changes, Nausea, Seizures, Vivid Dreams
Global Patient Feedback for Diovan (Valsartan) ( Post a comment )
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
54 year old Male
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?
64 year old Male
Posted: 2009-09-16 12:34:54
iGuard.org 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
Question/Comment:
I have been on Diovan for a little over a year. I was not able to get my prescription filled due to circumstances beyond my control, on time and I did not take it for about three weeks. I got a lot of fluid retention and shortness of breath and edema in legs. It was prescribed because I have diabetes and my doctor wanted to keep my pressure as low as possible. I was borderline high blood pressure before. Is this a normal reaction when you discontinue the medication? I am a 68 year old female
69 year old Female
Posted: 2009-09-16 09:09:30
Answer/Reply:
Yes, my mother also experienced edema and shortness of breath when gradually reducing diovan down to only 20 mg/day from 80 mg/day over the past 3 weeks ... in order to try to wean off of it. She is considering upping her dose again starting today to see if the edema goes away. I'll try to keep you posted. Thanks.
92 year old Female
Posted: 2009-09-29 12:48:50
Question/Comment:
When first taking diovan for 2 weeks I felt confused but it has now subsided. I do get a little lightheaded and my knee bothers me and also I have had some hair loss. Since it has been two weeks I have to see how it does in a month will report later.
73 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-05 13:15:13
Answer/Reply:
when i sleep on my side i wake up during the night on the outside of my leg and shoulder i have soreness and tingling and i don't what to do about it. sometimes i get slight palpatations. my head sometimes feelf funny.
73 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-05 16:42:14
Answer/Reply:
I have been taking Diovan for several years. When I first started it , I also experienced some dizziness. My physician told me to take it at bedtime and the problem has not recurred. I am a 73 yr old female.
74 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-26 16:56:26
Answer/Reply:
I have been on Diovan for two years. No side effects.No hair loss.
57 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-28 19:16:46
Question/Comment:
I've been on Diovan now for almost 7 years. Started at 80mg, increased by Mayo Clinic to
160 twice a day 5 years ago and had some dizziness at the begining, but it has done a fairly good job controlling my blood pressure. I had a stroke 3 years ago when it was discovered I had a blood clotting disorder. I'm now on coumadin therapy for the rest of my life, there for it is impairative for my blood pressure to stay in check, if not the odds of a brain bleed are extremely high. So I'm counting on this drug to do it's job and so far so good, please knock on wood for me anyway, just in case!
I am also on Inderal though, and I am a little concerned that it is a red alert combination. I will be calling my doctor on this information this site has provided, and I'm grateful this site exists. I've been on this combo a long time, and I would have never questioned this drug combination without it. Who knows this site just may have saved my life! I have far too many medical problems to take a chance that a medication combination could be dangerous to me too. Unfornantley doctors do not know drugs the way they should, most of their drug knowledge comes from information giving to them by the (Drug Company Reps), not good!! Thanks IGuard!! I bet my medication combinations will be changing soon.
53 year old Female
Posted: 2009-07-30 20:31:05
Answer/Reply:
I've just started taking Diovan about 2 weeks ago, so far so good, I will reply later.
59 year old Female
Posted: 2009-08-19 15:50:39
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.
48
Patient Comments about
Diovan