Irbesartan

Irbesartan, sold under the trade name Avapro among others, is a medication used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, and diabetic kidney disease. It is a reasonable initial treatment for high blood pressure. It is taken by mouth. Versions are available as the combination irbesartan/hydrochlorothiazide. Irbesartan, sold under the trade name Avapro among others, is a medication used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, and diabetic kidney disease. It is a reasonable initial treatment for high blood pressure. It is taken by mouth. Versions are available as the combination irbesartan/hydrochlorothiazide. Common side effects include dizziness, diarrhea, feeling tired, muscle pain, and heartburn. Serious side effects may include kidney problems, low blood pressure, and angioedema. Use in pregnancy may harm the baby and use when breastfeeding is not recommended. It is a angiotensin II receptor antagonist and works by blocking the effects of angiotensin II. Irbesartan was patented in 1990 and approved for medical use in 1997. It is available as a generic medication. A month supply in the United Kingdom costs the NHS less than 2 ₤ as of 2019. In the United States the wholesale cost of this amount is about 6 USD. In 2016, it was the 171st most prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 3.6 million prescriptions. As with all angiotensin II receptor antagonists, irbesartan is used for the treatment of hypertension. It may also delay progression of diabetic nephropathy and is also indicated for the reduction of renal disease progression in patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension and microalbuminuria (>30 mg/24 h) or proteinuria (>900 mg/24 h). Irbesartan is also available in a combination formulation with a low-dose thiazide diuretic, invariably hydrochlorothiazide, to achieve an additive antihypertensive effect. Irbesartan/hydrochlorothiazide combination preparations are marketed under similar trade names to irbesartan preparations. It was developed by Sanofi Research (now part of Sanofi-Aventis). It is jointly marketed by Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb under the trade names Aprovel, Karvea, and Avapro.