Brand Names: Avapro

Generic Name: irbesartan

What is irbesartan (Avapro)?
What are the possible side effects of irbesartan (Avapro)?
What is the most important information I should know about irbesartan (Avapro)?
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking irbesartan (Avapro)?
How should I take irbesartan (Avapro)?
What happens if I miss a dose (Avapro)?
What happens if I overdose (Avapro)?
What should I avoid while taking irbesartan (Avapro)?
What other drugs will affect irbesartan (Avapro)?
Where can I get more information (Avapro)?

What is irbesartan (Avapro)?

Irbesartan is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist. Irbesartan keeps blood vessels from narrowing, which lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow.

Irbesartan is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). It is sometimes given together with other blood pressure medications.

Irbesartan is also used to treat kidney problems caused by type 2 diabetes.

Irbesartan may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

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Avapro 150 mg

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Avapro 300 mg

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Avapro 75 mg

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What are the possible side effects of irbesartan (Avapro)?

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

In rare cases, irbesartan can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, leading to kidney failure. Call your doctor right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, unusual tiredness, and dark colored urine.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
little or no urination;
swelling, rapid weight gain; or
confusion, loss of appetite, vomiting, pain in your side or lower back.

Common side effects may include:

diarrhea;
heartburn, upset stomach; or
tired feeling.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What is the most important information I should know about irbesartan (Avapro)?

Do not use if you are pregnant. Stop using and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant.

If you have diabetes, do not use irbesartan together with any medication that contains aliskiren (a blood pressure medicine).

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking irbesartan (Avapro)?

You should not use irbesartan if you are allergic to it.

If you have diabetes, do not use irbesartan together with any medication that contains aliskiren (a blood pressure medicine).

You may also need to avoid taking irbesartan with aliskiren if you have kidney disease.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

kidney disease;
liver disease;
congestive heart failure; or
if you are dehydrated.

Do not use if you are pregnant, and tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant. Irbesartan can cause injury or death to the unborn baby if you take the medicine during your second or third trimester.

You should not breast-feed while using this medicine.

How should I take irbesartan (Avapro)?

Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Use the medicine exactly as directed.

Irbesartan may be taken with or without food.

Your blood pressure will need to be checked often.

If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using this medication even if you feel well. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

SLIDESHOW

How to Lower Blood Pressure: Exercise Tips See Slideshow

What happens if I miss a dose (Avapro)?

Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not take two doses at one time.

What happens if I overdose (Avapro)?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What should I avoid while taking irbesartan (Avapro)?

Drinking alcohol can further lower your blood pressure and may increase certain side effects of irbesartan.

Do not use potassium supplements or salt substitutes, unless your doctor has told you to.

Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy.

What other drugs will affect irbesartan (Avapro)?

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:

lithium.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may affect irbesartan, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Where can I get more information (Avapro)?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about irbesartan.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.